How to Coach an Athlete

When you create something, isn't there a great feeling of bliss? Well that's the feeling you get when you coach an athlete and see them win their first competition. It takes a lot of work from both parties, the coach and the athlete. Fortunately, in the end, it is most definitely worth it.

Steps

1. 1
   Differentiate age, genders, and skill levels to determine how you should approach coaching each member of the team.
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2. 2
   Surround yourself with other good coaches. These coaches will often have good ideas and will be of great help to you.
3. 3
   Read up. The best way to learn specific things about a sport is to read up on it.
4. 4
   Make lists of what you need to work on. Is your athlete a soccer player? Make sure they know how to dribble correctly. Is your athlete a basketball player? Work on his score figure. Specify what you want to achieve with your athlete, in a general and long term time frame.
5. 5
   Plan practices. Each session you have together must be taken seriously, since there will be time later to enjoy yourselves. Before each practice, make sure that you know what you will do, and plan with extra work. Make sure every second counts.
6. 6
   Let them meet other people who do the same sport. This will immerse everyone in the competitive spirit.
7. 7
   Make sure you have all the equipment. Certain sports will need for the coach or the organization that the coach works for to have supplies such as balls, cones, etc.
8. 8
   Constructively criticize and compliment. An athlete needs both encouragement and constructive criticism to become better and to know that he is getting better.
9. 9
   Have your players set goals. Each player should have a set of realistic, measurable goals, written down and memorized, for the end of the season. Have them visualize themselves achieving their performance goals, and crowds screaming when they score, etc. Provide periodic opportunities for them to measure their progress. Goal-setting is essential to maximize athletic progress.