Over recent months, we, as a nation, have witnessed the achievements of British sportsmen and women, filled in our wall charts, waved our flags and danced, cheered and shouted at the telly box as we watched, with baited breath, our athletes many successes and set-backs.
England’s 3 Lions squad were the first to reach a major men’s final in 55 years. At the Olympics, Team GB achieved an astonishing 22 Gold medals, 21 Silver medals and 22 Bronze medals. Our inspiring Paralympian GB Team won 41 Gold medals, 28 silver medals and 45 bronze medals and, most recently, Emma Raducanu, a teenager fresh from sitting her A-levels, against all odds, became Great Britain’s US Open Champion.
When asked how they achieve these successes, every single one of them talks about the vital components of coaching and mindset. Every athlete, now, as part of his or her essential pre game incorporates, what is known as, mental skills coaching. Brian Alexander, a San Diego-based mental skills coach who worked with Olympic athletes in Tokyo defines it as “a combination of counselling, support and coaching… teaching the foundational skills that train your brain to perform under pressure.”
In his book “Coaching Excellence”, Frank Pyke, an expert in elite sport development, breaks down the top benefits of coaching into four C’s: Competence – having a positive view of yourself in specific contexts : Confidence – having a positive sense of self-worth and self-efficacy; Connection – fostering a sense of belonging; and last, but by no means least, Character and caring: respecting other, demonstrating appropriate behaviours on and off the pitch.
Marcus Rashford MBE works with performance psychologist Katie Warriner who has supported athletes and coaches at the London 2021 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games. In his number 1 Children’s best-selling book dedicated to “Every young person who is trying to find their way”, Marcus says “Believing in ourselves, recognising that mistakes are a learning opportunity and acting on feedback can all help to create a mindset that will enable us to recognise that anything is possible”. This belief, he states proudly, has come from lessons learned from his coaches and mentors, both on and off the pitch: his Mum being the first. And, finally, England manager Gareth Southgate was recently presented with the Inspiration of The Year award at GQ’s Awards 2021, deservedly recognised as he “backed his squad in taking a stand, by taking a knee and consoled them …when they fell just short of glory. For giving strength not just to his team, nor even just his nation, but to everyone watching”.
We are fortunate enough to have sports groups and activities at nearly every corner in Surrey. Clubs are nearly always looking for coaches. Why not give them one of them a call today?