The following post is an excerpt from Frank’s newest book, The Soft Science of Tennis.
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Is Your Athlete Un-Coachable?
A gifted but un-coachable athlete is every coach’s nightmare. The un-coachable athlete displays the following symptoms: showing up late for practice and lacking personal commitment, passion, and real effort. These athletes routinely play the blame game, roll their eyes at constructive feedback, and are close-minded to improvement. Un-coachable athletes spend the majority of their training sessions defending their poor choices and creating drama.
“Some athletes cling desperately to bad form because they have spent years developing it.”
Being committed to one’s emotional development isn’t a genetic predisposition, it is a learned behavior nurtured by intelligent parents and coaches. Changing a talented yet un-coachable athlete into a coachable athlete takes great emotional aptitude from both the parents and coach.
Improving an athlete’s software (coach-ability) is often a prerequisite for real learning, quicker growth, and maximizing potential. I believe great coaches and parents have to facilitate coach-ability. They have to convince the athlete that change is good, which is key because learning begins with change and change begins with learning.
Emotional modification begins with the athlete being open and honest enough to develop a humble and respectful attitude, competitive drive, and willingness to learn. It includes gratefulness that a coach cares enough and is willing to tackle the unpleasantries of the task. Teaching discipline, accountability, and responsibility is a very different job description than teaching a topspin backhand.
