How to Coach Another Coach’s Athlete

Since I am still training as a thrower, I have not developed my own stable of throwers to coach. Instead I help my club’s youth throwing coach, put on clinics, or respond to videos sent via email from all over the world. Coaching another coach’s athlete can be very difficult since you have limited time to make an impact and also do not want to step on the toes of the other coach.

Since starting as a coach several years ago, I’ve found that some things I’ve tried have worked well and other things have failed. Overall, the following steps have worked the best for me:

Putting on a clinic in 2009.

• Step 1 – Observe. Watch a few throws before making any comments. Often the athlete is nervous to throw before someone new or they just are not warm yet. After a few throws you can begin to see what things they are consistently doing right and wrong.
• Step 2 – Understand. In order to give the best advice in a short time, you have to understand where the athlete and their coach are coming from. It is helpful to know what technical points they have been focusing on and how they have been trying to fix any current problems. I often find that one of the points I want to correct is also a point they are working on, so I focus my energy on that rather than derailing the work the coach has already done by attacking a new area. The coaches often appreciate this too and it often makes them more accepting of input.
• Step 3 – Be positive. When I post my videos to YouTube, I often get unsolicited criticisms. I know my technique needs improvement, but I always wonder what type of people surf around YouTube looking for throwers to criticize. I also have a similar impression of clinicians that only provide negative advice. It is easy to point out all the problems an athlete has in their technique. But it is more helpful to also mention what the athlete is doing right. Since you will not be able to fix all of an athlete’s problems in an hour or two, giving them some positive comments will at least serve to motivate and inspire them. An athlete should not leave a session depressed and think of all the things they are doing wrong.

• Step 4 – Keep it simple. Again, you want to get the most out of a limited amount of time. I normally focus on one, or perhaps two, technical problems. No matter what, you will not have enough time to fix the athlete’s problems. But if you focus on just one problem, you can get to the point where the athlete understands the problem and what the solution feels like. That way they can continue to search for that new feeling after you leave.

• Step 5 – Summarize. At the end of the session, break down what you said earlier. Often your input may morph over the course of the session, so a summary can help make sure that you and the athlete end on the same page.