The Difference Between A Good & A Bad Coach

Creator: Bob Frid, Bob Frid | Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports Copyright: Bob Frid

The past 2 weeks have both been amazing as well as stressful for a Vancouver Canucks fan; especially for me as a life coach.

To put it bluntly, we all got to see the contrast & difference in results between a bad and a good coach.

The styles they implement affect the players in such a way that affect the overall performance we see on/off the ice.

For those of you who aren’t fans, the Vancouver Canucks started off the season with an absolutely horrid start and fans in this city were crying out for some changes.

We’d been going through a half-rebuild, cutting corners to become a playoff contender.

Had it not been for a few amazing picks in the drafts and quality pick-ups, we’d be in a way worse position today.

Long story short, the front office needed a dramatic overhaul so last week, the ownership took matters into their own hands and started implementing change.

The previous coaching staff employed a style of coaching that was taken very negatively by the players, evident in the practice of benching players underperforming, not fully utilizing players yet expecting chemistry, and only playing certain players who were performing.

It was evident to me the morale was extremely low and confidence was dismal.

But once the coaching changes were made, the new coaching staff especially came in with a new style and demeanor.

And it was incredibly evident based on coaching interviews and the subsequent results on the ice.

They allowed underperforming players to get more time to build confidence & morale, they gave them opportunities to play in situations they wouldn’t normally play (PK, PP), and were given the highest chance to perform.

The end result is a 4 game win streak to start the new tenure for this new coaching staff & management.

You can even see it on the faces and play of the players on the ice; there’s a swagger I haven’t seen in a long time.

But the coolest thing for me is how this relates to the style of coaching.

The worst thing about poor coaching is the emphasis on the coaches’ ability to direct (in fact, that’s not actually coaching), the true purpose of a coach is to focus on the players’ abilities, facilitating & squeezing every ounce of potential they have to offer on & off the ice.

The same goes for life coaching.  My goal in coaching is not to direct someone to live what I think is best for them in the current state, my goal is to help someone fully understand who they are now, see the options available in front of them, and squeeze their best potential out of them while holding them to the direction they’ve set.  

You’re the player.  You’re on the ice.  You’re wearing the skates and holding the skate.

My job is to make sure you’re given the opportunities to shine and what you don’t see, the areas I feel can be improved upon to draw out the best, I work with you on.

That’s the mastery of coaching.

If you are wondering what this may look like in your own life, reach out for a friendly conversation.  I’d love to show you what it is I can do & answer any questions you may have about working together.
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GO CANUCKS GO!