The S&C Coach role in culture: Part One - Role Model
Take home message
CULTURE ALWAYS REQUIRES WORK. BE AN ACTIVE CONTRIBUTOR.
For Coaches
Be a role model for the culture you want and make the difficult choices where needed to uphold it.
For Athletes
Everyone has a role in culture - rookie to veteran.
I’ve been lucky to receive some great questions and be involved in some thought provoking conversations lately. A colleague recently asked me for my thoughts on the influence of S&C on team culture. When I think about it, there’s quite a bit, so to be mindful of your time, I will put thoughts down in a series of brief posts, one main point at a time.
So how do I see my S&C role in team culture? I think I start with trying to be the role model of the culture I want to be a part of.
The first role the S&C coach has in culture is being the standard you want to see in the team. I think in order for me to be able to develop, support and grow the culture, I need to respect and be respected by the players and coaches. I expect players to turn up on time, organised, therefore I must. Currently, for gym and field training sessions, I am probably there 45 minutes before training. That is probably a habit from my Western Force days when the team manager and I were responsible for setting up for training (corner posts, post pads, all training kit including markers, tackle bags and hit shields, water barrels, off-feet conditioning gear, etc).
Take your role seriously (but not yourself too seriously). Be diligent in preparation and be invested. How can I expect the players to be any of those if I am not? I also make sure I uphold the standards of the coach and senior leaders too. I live the culture I want and believe in. I think about integrity (doing what I said I would do), honesty and having my teammate’s back. I’m in. If it is raining at training, I am getting wet too and not sitting in the dugout. I could not think of anything worse than watching a group of players walk past me at training, soaked from the rain, whilst I am comfortable and dry under shelter. How can I possibly be invested like they are in that situation? If they are running up the hills, I’m there at the session supporting and encouraging them, trying to run with them when they need that support. I don’t believe I have to run the hills, or demonstrate any feats of strength in the gym. It is not a competition. But I’m putting myself out there. I think that is appreciated.
It is also doing non-S&C tasks, the things that our not in any one persons job description and require no skill. Tidying up the pitch after training. Cleaning changerooms. Unloading the bus at the hotel after 24hrs of travelling, I’m grabbing player’s and team kit as well as my own. I cannot jump on players standards off-pitch if I do not demonstrate what behaviours are expected. Our gym sessions are from 3:00-6:00pm so our players can go to uni or work. However, if one of our players who works is not able to get there until 6pm (he knows who he is!), I stay till the end. Because there will be a time when I need him to be somewhere at sometime too, and he needs to know I’ve got his back. Plus, all the players know I go that extra mile for them, which they repay when I need it. It is a two-way street.
Being a role model for the culture I want and believe in is one way I think and S&C contributes to the culture.
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Thanks again. BA.