The Hardest Thing: What To Lay Down And Let Go

Anna Oneal

March 28, 2023

•

min read

Three Letters, Big Problem

As a coach, one of the most critical aspects of creating a positive and thriving team environment is the ability to balance authority with humility. It's essential to recognize that coaching is not solely about imparting knowledge or showcasing one's expertise; it's also about fostering a space where athletes feel heard, valued, and empowered. To achieve this, coaches must be willing to lay down their egos and embrace a collaborative approach that prioritizes the well-being and individual growth of each athlete.

One key aspect of letting go of ego is acknowledging that athletes have unique perspectives, experiences, and insights that can contribute to the team's success. Creating an environment where athletes feel comfortable expressing their thoughts, concerns, and ideas fosters a sense of belonging and ownership. This means actively listening to your athletes, respecting their opinions, and incorporating their input into decision-making processes when appropriate.

Creating a post-competition analysis sheet for your players can be a valuable tool in enhancing their performance and fostering continuous improvement. This tool provides a structured framework for players to reflect on their individual and team efforts, helping them identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for growth. As a coach, this analysis sheet allows you to guide your players in a purposeful post-game discussion that goes beyond the final score.

Furthermore, relinquishing ego involves recognizing that the coaching journey is a continuous learning process. No coach has all the answers, and there is always room for improvement. Embracing a growth mindset allows coaches to evolve alongside their athletes, seeking new knowledge, refining strategies, and adapting to changing dynamics. This openness to learning not only benefits the coach but also sets a positive example for athletes, encouraging them to approach challenges with resilience and a commitment to personal development.

Ultimately, a coach's ability to let go of ego and create an environment where athletes can be heard is a powerful catalyst for team success. It establishes a foundation of trust, communication, and mutual respect that propels athletes to reach their full potential both individually and collectively. By prioritizing the well-being of the team over personal pride, coaches contribute to the creation of a positive and empowering culture that extends far beyond the playing field.

Creating a post-competition analysis sheet for your players

by Jeff Janssen via CoachAD.com

Do you wonder what your athletes think about following a contest? Depending on their commitment, confidence and competitiveness levels, your athletes responses will run the gamut.

While the competitors on your team take your losses to heart and your confidence-challenged athletes beat themselves up after a game, many of your athletes probably don’t give too much serious analytical thought to the competition afterward. They move on to the next item on their social calendar.

In some ways, not dwelling on or obsessing over a previous competition is good. Giving too little thought, however, is a problem as your athletes miss important opportunities to learn and improve. Each competition provides your players (and coaches) with a concentrated chance to learn more about themselves, your opponents, the game and even about life itself.

Investing the time to learn important lessons from competition — both wins and losses — is a key practice for players and coaches. Your athletes should go through a constant cycle of: perform, reflect, analyze, apply, practice and starting again with perform. What’s most critical is that your athletes learn how to apply the lessons, so they can replicate success and minimize failure.

Post-competition analysis sheet

In an effort to help your athletes learn lessons from competition, this article provides you with an example of a “post-competition analysis sheet” shared with me by former Yale men’s soccer coach Brian Tompkins.

Virtually every coach spends time analyzing previous competitions. This sheet provides a systematic tool to ensure that your athletes do the same in a constructive manner. Tompkins says the sheet he uses with his program is a combination of different tools used by various coaches.

Yale’s post-competition analysis sheet includes the following:

Basic info: Name, date, opponent, location.
Participation (check one): Started, played, did not play.
Eight-question sheet: Whether an athlete has played or not, Tompkins has all his players complete the post-competition analysis sheet. He feels that each athlete can and should closely observe what’s going on during the contest and learn how to be a better player because of it. There are eight questions a player answers on the sheet.

1. Assess your personal level of preparation for this game.

This question is great because it puts the ownership of physical and mental preparation on the athlete. It’s up to each athlete to know where they need to be to get ready to perform and then get themselves there, whether they are at home, away or playing on a neutral site.

2. What did I do well in today’s game?

No matter what the outcome or their role in it, each of your athletes should inventory the successes and the strengths they displayed during the competition. This question helps build confidence, even though some of your perfectionist athletes might have a hard time writing something down.

3. What could I have done better in today’s game?

Players on the bench should be able to observe the competition and provide feedback for coaches.

Again, despite the outcome, there is likely at least one, if not several things, the athlete could have done better as a player, leader and teammate. Help your athletes see that each competition is an opportunity to improve. Or as North Carolina women’s soccer coach Anson Dorrance likes to say, “Life should be a never-ending ascension.”

4. What did the team do well in today’s game?

Looking outside themselves, have each of your athletes analyze the team’s overall performance. This gets them thinking on a larger, more strategic level. It will be interesting for you to see how your athletes appraise your teams performance in comparison to your coaching staff. This question allows you to see who gets it and understands your concepts and strategies, and who still needs work. Additionally, your athletes might pick up on some things your staff might have overlooked.

5. What could the team have done better in today’s game?

Have your athletes analyze and, hopefully, internalize what the team could have done better during the competition. They should be able to pinpoint at least two to three things for improvement. Asking this question helps you gain their attention when you work on shoring up these areas in your upcoming practices.

6. What did the opponents do well?

A good analysis should also include learning from your opponents. Have your athletes dissect what your opponents did well in attempting to win the game. How did they attack your team’s weaknesses? How did they make adjustments? Think about how you might counter those measures should you face them again, or a team that uses similar tactics.

7. What did the opponents not do well?

Similarly, have your athletes notice what your opponents did not do well. Did your team’s strategy or aggressiveness contribute to why your opponents struggled in these areas? Assessing your opponent’s weaknesses and struggles gives you a leg up the next time you face them or a similar opponent.

8. How did I impact today’s game?

Regardless of their role, this question reminds each of your athletes that they are responsible for impacting the competition in some way. Your starters and regulars obviously have the most noticeable opportunity with their play on the field. Yet your reserves and injured athletes also have a chance to make a difference with their encouragement and ability to refocus those who might be struggling.

Using the sheets

Tompkins often handed out the evaluations following the matches but says he will include one for each competition in a player notebook. To reinforce the value of the post-competition analysis sheets, the Yale players must turn them into the coach before the next practice. If the sheet is not completed, they are not allowed the privilege of practicing.

The coaching staff then reads over the analysis sheets during the week so that they have a better feel for their athletes’ insights. As the season goes on and time becomes more scarce, Tompkins and his staff are more selective in the sheets they read.

Tompkins feels the greatest value in doing the sheets is for the athletes themselves. It gives them a chance to really think through the competition, which appeals to Yale’s cerebral type. You too will likely find that you’re more analytical and intellectual athletes really enjoying this process. The secondary benefits of the sheets are for the coaching staff to get a glimpse into their athletes’ psyches, what they’re seeing on the field and how they understand the game.

Rather than leaving your athletes’ post-competition analysis to chance, think about creating a post-competition analysis sheet for your players. Like the one Tompkins uses, it doesn’t have to be long and involved. It should simply help your athletes focus on the important lessons they and the team can learn from every competition.

By regularly implementing a post-competition analysis sheet, you cultivate a culture of accountability, self-awareness, and continuous learning within your team. This process not only helps individual players refine their skills but also contributes to the overall development and cohesion of the team. As a coach, you can use the insights gained from these analyses to tailor your training sessions, address common issues, and guide your team toward sustained success.

Moreover, dedicate space for goal setting and action plans. Ask players to outline specific areas they want to improve upon and set realistic, achievable goals for the next training sessions or competitions. Encourage them to think not only about technical skills but also about mental aspects such as focus, resilience, and teamwork.