Culture

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

a good culture is worth the effort. it makes work easier.

For Coaches

It is your responsibility.

For Athletes

It is your responsibility.

Strength and conditioning is a wonderfully varied job.  From the gym to the track, whatever sport or event you are involved, there are exciting challenges to be had.  Some are easier than others.  Asking athletes to do gut busting running is a hard task.  There are some athletes that thrive on it and some that will do it cause they have to, but it is likely that whilst it might be appreciated, it is not looked on fondly.  That is when the S&C coach can be the task master. 

Other duties are easier – or less “painful”.  Hydration monitoring, warm-ups and cool downs.  Rehabilitation exercises.  These don’t require the same degrees of motivation.  However, in some instances, they can be very draining for an S&C coach, if culture is less than ideal. 

I am incredibly lucky to work with a tremendous group of coaches and players who have a fantastic culture which makes my job a lot easier.  For example, if you have a good culture and don’t have to nag about the routine of a warm-up, or the importance of individual attention to injury prevention exercises, then driving the extra conditioning after a hard session is not the sound of a broken record.  If you have a good culture and strong relationships, it is actually very easy to instill change.  I have found that if a willingness to improve is really embraced in a group, then a bit of care and education leads to massive buy-in.  Buy-in leads to an easy sell and a deeper establishment of the intervention.

Instilling good behaviours at all times – establishing “non-negotiables” is one of those “other duties” of the S&C coach. 

In my opinion, S&C coaches are significant players in the delivery of culture.  The Head Coach is ultimately the most powerful figure in culture, and I am lucky in my current role to have excellent coaches who want a superior culture and support my S&C micro-culture (which is aligned with the overall culture).  It is important that my idea of culture aligns with theirs and the player group.  To say that I am fortunate in my current role is a massive understatement.  Currently, working with the men’s national team, I have an exceptional coaching group who want high standards and accept nothing less. 

A significant aspect of developing a good culture is time, trust and care.  I have been working with this team now for many years and touring is a great way to build care and trust with people. 

Culture takes a very long time to develop and must be reinforced and revisited every session, until it becomes habit. I am big on habits. (If my players are reading this, which I doubt, I can sense them rolling their eyes!).  It gets to the point where athletes are doing the basic things on autopilot, they become habits.  It is not that they don’t think about why or understand.  We all know why to wear a seatbelt, we just don’t have to think about putting it on.  It’s routine.  Just like athletes doing their individual prep exercises, or taking a water bottle on the walk, stretching in transit, picking up the balls and markers post training.  Having automatic processes allows the basic things to get done right, and reserve mental focus to be available for next level processes. Because culture makes the easy things automatic, it means you can focus helping people get through the hard times when they need your help. A good culture lets you continue to add layers.  From good warm-ups, to modifying a tour workout because the gym is not quite what you are used to, to conditioning post-match, to an impromptu hallway stretch.  An excellent culture lets you step back and let the players take charge.  Seeing athletes make their own decisions is like a proud parent.

That’s not to say that they (or I) sometimes forget, but it is easy to remind and return to practice. 

Good culture and habits allows athletes to take in quick information, that might be a bit different to normal, but process quickly and with trust, and then execute.  Some top-up running post-match doesn’t allow time for a 15-minute whiteboard education session, but experiences at training, trusting relationships and a good culture allow a quick 30-sec chat to be executed flawlessly by the player group. And I don’t feel that it is blind trust. We’ve taken the time to educate and, yes, there are varying degrees of comprehension, but all are on the same page. Those are the moments where I am like a proud Dad, watching development and evolution.

Developing culture takes time, common interest and some brutal honesty.  I think I am very good with my honesty.  I have a hard time lying, and to be honest, good liars are smart, bad liars get caught!  (I’m not smart enough!). Players know that they get it straight.  I am thoughtful and considered with the manner of my reply, but it is not misleading.  It takes time for us to work out that my bluntness is not rude or disrespectful – it’s just honest (apparently at home, it is sometimes too blunt and I’m told that my daughter has inherited that particular trait). It is also important to take others honest feedback as well.

I don’t believe that athletes want to have a bad culture.  Perhaps it is that they just feel that a very good one is simply beyond their capability.  Change is hard and any new habit is always difficult to establish.  It is about maintaining the vision and the accountability to strive for something better. I try to live up to the high expectations I set for myself as an example. Another way to help drive and empower culture is to give responsibility to the players. For a period of time or on tour, allocate a duty to a player - junior or senior - and have them drive that. Now they have a standard to live up too and be accountable for, but also to hold others to the same account.

But you never rest on a good culture and never accept a slip. I feel it is also important to live the culture you want.  Want diligence in your athletes, be diligent in your own preparation.  Want them to deal with change, educate them on the options, the contingencies. 

Live the standards you want to see in others.