Life lessons from more than 30 years of coaching
When you’ve been in the strength conditioning coaching profession for more than 30 years, you learn that there’s more than one way to get things done. That was one of the key takeaways from Al Johnson's Hammer Strength Clinic session. Johnson is the chief development officer for the Collegiate Strength Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa) and shared a few important tips.
When you’ve been in the strength conditioning coaching profession for more than 30 years, you learn that there’s more than one way to get things done. That was one of the key takeaways from Al Johnson's Hammer Strength Clinic session. Johnson is the chief development officer for the Collegiate Strength Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa) and shared a few important tips.
“Great athletes can adapt and change and adjust to chaos. Things constantly change. If you do not adapt, you’re going to fail.”
“The way you motivate each athlete is different. How you train should never be about you. It should be about the athlete.”
Be open-minded and never give up on an athlete. They need you to be a coach to help them advance and embrace their development.
This exercise helps athletes orient away from self-interest and toward team-interest.
Find balance between your career and your life, he says. “When I leave the facility, I never look in the rearview mirror. I leave whatever I'm leaving behind me. It will still be there tomorrow.”
Like this advice? Join us for our next Hammer Strength Clinic.
Be Adaptable
“When there are 25 or 26 different personalities on the team and maybe an age gap of 20 years, you need to be adaptable,” Johnson says. Give yourself permission to customize and change programing to meet athletes’ needs.“Great athletes can adapt and change and adjust to chaos. Things constantly change. If you do not adapt, you’re going to fail.”
Stay Humble and Be Authentic
“Humility in this profession is so important. Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless and add what is specifically yours.”It’s About Relationships
Get to know your athletes, Johnson explains. “The most important part of coaching is developing, creating relationships.” The more you know about them, the better you can connect with them, and that will make you a more effective coach.“The way you motivate each athlete is different. How you train should never be about you. It should be about the athlete.”
Never Stop Motivating Your Athletes
“Motivate, motivate, motivate. Even if you’re having a bad day.”Be open-minded and never give up on an athlete. They need you to be a coach to help them advance and embrace their development.
Set the Tone For the Weight Room
Johnson puts a coat rack in the middle of the weight room to represent the athletes’ attitudes. When they come in, he tells them, “When you come in, I want you to check your selfishness, your bad attitude or ‘all about me’ [point of view]. When you leave, take this [stuff] with you. Get it out of the weight room.”This exercise helps athletes orient away from self-interest and toward team-interest.
Find Your Work-Life Balance
Johnson’s final piece of advice for coaches isn’t about what happens on the field or court, it’s about how you live your life. “I didn’t have a job, I had a passion. And if you feel that way about what you do, you’re doing the right thing.”Find balance between your career and your life, he says. “When I leave the facility, I never look in the rearview mirror. I leave whatever I'm leaving behind me. It will still be there tomorrow.”
Like this advice? Join us for our next Hammer Strength Clinic.