How to be coachable and a better teammate
Oftentimes we hear that an athlete should be “Coachable.” But what does that mean? Execute everything the coach says? Don’t question what you don’t understand? Only learn from your coach? The glaring answer to all these questions is of course no. Being coachable is a mindset, not a type.
When a player walks into the locker room focused on the upcoming game, shakes hands with teammates in the locker room, and attentively digests information from coaches and peers, that player begins to grow. Coach-ability begins with attitude. If the player sits upright, attentive and alert, the player actively envisions the situation presented through the board talk or video review. The player's imagination will carry them into the moment and they will associate the situation with something that happened to them in a game. Once that happens the player begins to mentally play out the moments discussed by the coach. Our body is a big reaction machine and we begin to see the discussion translate into the game. But being coachable does not end with the coach. Coaches often pay attention to the player to player discussion on the bench. Are they talking about the weather or their linemates on the ice? Are they actively watching the game or watching what their parents are doing? Success usually lies with those that want to be on the ice, that play while on the bench, and that constantly encourage and plan the next moment with their linemates.
Being a team player and creating chemistry is just as essential to being coachable as attention itself. In a sport where situational awareness and quick decision making is the difference, your teammates are key to success. You can always spot that player that seems to always be in the right place at the right time. That player that reads his teammates, makes them better, and always communicates. That player creates a bond that goes beyond the sport, but so vividly translates into the game.
Being coachable and being a good teammate starts with your attitude toward the game, your coaches, your peers, and your parents. Change your mindset and understand that everyone in the room is invested in your success because your success is a reflection of their input. And when a player can embrace this and come into a practice and game prepared, the sky is truly the limit.
