Why It's Hard to Be Coachable

What does it really mean to be coachable? In its simplest form, being coachworthy means your ability to accept instruction and criticism with a positive attitude. Your performance on the field may look very different from other players and coaching coaches, despite your obvious physical talents. Some people can't coach because they don't have the talent or skills necessary. But, many other people excel in every area of their life because they are coachable - and it's these people that we should celebrate.


Everyone loves to be coachable, right? Every athlete wants to be known as an athlete who is able to rise to any challenge. Being coachable means knowing how to rise to those challenges, taking them as opportunities. And there are 13 ways to be coachable, or at least, show the ability to be coachable. So, let's begin!

Constructive Criticism - Coaches are tasked with finding ways to get better from their athletes' performances. And one of the first things coaches often do is to give constructive criticism. Whether it's a positive message or a subtle critique that doesn't completely alter an athlete's performance, constructive criticism is important. This lets the athlete know that they are doing something right, and if they continue to do it, the results will improve.

Rob Poulos' Book - Be Coachable: How Great Athletes Get Better - With a Positive Attitude by Rob Poulos: Many successful coaches struggle to get the right balance between constructive criticism and brokering. Too much brokering usually gets bad results, while too little criticism can create a vacuum where no progress is made. That's why Rob Poulos created his book to give coaches a "one-two-three" rule. If you praise enough, but not enough (or if the praise you give is too specific and overbearing), you can't be coachable.

The 13 Ways of Coaching - Coaches have to be able to identify their own limitations and use them to help their athletes achieve more. That's why I like the 13 Ways of Coaching. Coaches have to be able to see themselves as limited. But they also have to recognize their athletes' potential, as well. The book has helped me with my own limitations.

The author, Bobby McFerrin, calls his approach the "Equal Opportunity Law of Athlete Training." His idea is that all athletes are born with an equal opportunity to excel in all areas of physical activity. If coaches and athletes truly want to help each other, rather than hurt each other, then they must treat each athlete as if he or she were the best athlete of the group.

Another way to be coachable is to accept the personal development needs of your athletes. In fact, the Equal Opportunity Law of Athlete Training teaches that there is such a thing as personal development. It doesn't matter whether your athlete is male or female. If he or she is a good swimmer, for example, then he or she can develop a strong, coachable body. If your athlete is a strong tennis player, then he or she can become a good coach.

So, if you are a coach of athletes, what are your limitations? How do you know which athletes are good candidates for being coachable versus those who aren't? If you use the Equal Opportunity Law of Athlete Training to determine who is coachable, what do you do with those who are not?

For example, many coaches will not consider male swimmers to be coachable. However, this is simply not true. Even though it might not be possible to teach swimmers the skills of being a coach, there are courses available that can teach swimmers how to coach themselves.

So, I'd like to point out here, first of all, that all athletes have the ability to become coachable if they are taught the right attitude. Most people don't realize that you can take a swimmer, who is relatively coachable, and turn that athlete into a world-class competitor. All it takes is some training, motivation, and getting the right attitude. But, most people don't take advantage of the resources available to them through programs such as the Equal Opportunity Coaching program that was developed by Dr. William Sander and his team.

Finally, let me say that if you're an athlete and you're struggling with your performance at the swimming pool, you really need to pay attention to your attitude. Athletes, especially those who struggle, generally don't realize their potential. They think that all they have to do is swim fast enough to get by, but there's a lot more to it than that. You really have to believe in yourself. If you do, you'll be able to get better at swimming and become coachable.