The initiative and intrinsic motivation to train solo successfully for extended periods are rare and vital qualities for any aspiring performer. Over recent months the lack of direct coaching supervision, restricted access to training facilities and absence of training partners posed huge challenges for athletes at all levels, testing not only their will but also their ability to find a way. Regular readers will recognise that these are not new themes - as noted before the biggest test of a coach is what happens when we’re not present. With the unprecedented events of 2020 all of this very much came to the fore. The critical role of agency and the need to ensure that athletes are capable of operating independently are arguably among the biggest lessons that coaches, practitioners and indeed the athletes themselves can take from this tumultuous period.
ONUS ON THE INDIVIDUAL…
In reflecting on the experiences of recent months some clear themes emerge that merit consideration as we contemplate our approach moving forwards. It has been illuminating to observe how well certain athletes and training groups have come through the period of lockdown and this is certainly testimony to those involved. Unsurprisingly those athletes who were more used to being self-reliant have generally fared considerably better. More resourceful coaches and athletes have in fact responded very favourably under these new constraints. Indeed many performers have flourished due to the additional freedom that has been afforded to them.
In general it is similarly noteworthy how athletes in certain sports such as track and field were able to record standout performances during the limited outdoor season in spite of all the disruption. One likely explanation is that athletes in these sports are more familiar than most with using training modalities that require minimal equipment (jumping and sprinting, plyometrics, using stairs and slopes, medicine ball exercises etc.). Equally, another relevant factor is that these athletes are accustomed to training (and indeed competing) without much fanfare and often without a great deal of support. Those who choose to pursue track and field athletics are not doing so for the big bucks (as a track and field coach I can attest to this!), so the level of intrinsic motivation and degree of self-reliance accordingly tends to be high in this population.
More generally, performers in individual sports are driven in different ways to those in team sports. The most obvious difference is that there is far less of a social element or peer group influence, and so naturally participation is far more of an individual choice. Those involved with team sports can learn some important lessons from their peers in individual sports in this regard. Based on my own experiences with team sports athletes at elite level, the best professionals and certainly those who have the longest careers tend to adopt what is very much an individual approach to their own physical and athletic preparation.
TAKING CARE OF ASSETS…
As a rule we can and should do more to encourage performers to assume individual responsibility for the maintenance of their own body and this should begin from an early stage in their development. It is certainly worth spelling out that we are talking about the tools of their trade and the vehicle for taking them where they want to go - plus they only get one body, so they should do everything in their power to look after it.
Practically this means being prepared to do additional work independently rather than solely relying on whatever is provided during team practices, including periodically enlisting independent expertise to provide the necessary guidance. Certainly it has become more common at the professional level for athletes to engage coaches to provide individual support, especially when training independently of their teams during the off-season.
How we conduct ourselves as coaches and practitioners of course also has a major bearing when it comes to these elements of ownership and personal responsibility. This is especially the case with younger performers but also applies with senior athletes. With our actions we naturally foster certain learned behaviours, so we should strive to ensure these behaviours prove to be beneficial.
Our coaching persona is important from this perspective, albeit in some cases how we choose to act is somewhat shaped by perceived expectations. As coaches we can have a tendency to dominate proceedings, which in turn can lead to the performer assuming a passive role. There is similarly an expectation for strength coaches in North America especially to be the hype man (or woman). However, if the performer comes to need us to bring the energy for them to be motivated to train then we may unwittingly become part of the problem.
THE PROBLEM OF PLENTY…
Ironically the more extensive the support that is customarily provided, the greater the potential for inadvertently relegating the role of the performer. Professional sport and elite performers with extensive access to support staff via institutes of sport and the like are especially prone to these problems. The emphasis on ticking every box and assigning specialist providers in each area can easily cast the performer in the role of a passive recipient of support.
All of this should perhaps prompt us to reframe our role as guiding the process and establishing standards and accountability. On a day to day basis we should be continually seeking to shine a torch to elicit awareness and improve understanding on the part of the athlete to develop their capability to navigate training independently. The element of accountability is paramount. The athlete is accountable for the outcome in competition, so it follows that we should prompt them to assume responsibility for their role in the process on the understanding that they will be held accountable for how they prepare in much the same way.
RESTORING AGENCY…
I have written at length before about how critical agency is when preparing and coaching performers. The onus must remain on the pivotal role of the performer. After all it is the athlete who ultimately does the work and only they have the power to decide what they invest in the process on any given day and from moment to moment.
Agency is certainly the gateway to developing initiative and self reliance. Equally, agency is double-edged: if the performer desires greater choice, input and independence they must also be prepared to earn the right and do the work to attain the necessary understanding. They must also be willing to accept the burden and the responsibility that comes with those things.
IN CLOSING…
This year has been a time of unprecedented challenges and struggles that continue to take a toll, afflicting sport below the elite level especially. However 2020 is also rich with examples of the notable few who had the will and found a way, where it would have been easy to accept the excuses that were readily available. One of the major lessons we can take is that we should place added emphasis on taking initiative and learning to be resourceful. These elements should become a regular feature of the performance environment and how we prepare performers moving forwards.
Whilst we all hope to never have to face another lockdown, even under normal circumstances athletes will not always have the luxury of access to the usual training facilities, for instance when they are on the road. We should seek to ensure that athletes do not become too reliant on certain equipment and learn to adapt and come up with viable plan B options when they are not available. To that end, coaches and practitioners share a responsibility to become more adept and proficient with coaching and programming athletic training that requires minimal equipment - such as sprinting (including use of slopes and stairs), change of velocity, jump/plyometric training, medicine ball work, and so on.
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