As the new year approaches and club admins and paddlers gear up for a fresh season, the topic of coaching naturally comes to the forefront. Effective coaching can be the difference between strong paddler engagement or the reason talented athletes leave a club.
Let’s take a closer look at coaching to understand what sets a well-respected, credible coach apart from one who struggles to gain trust and influence.
The key difference between a personality-driven coach and a principle-driven coach often comes down to policy, procedure, guidelines, and structure.
While clubs may hire coaches, true club loyalty emerges when paddlers see the club itself as the catalyst that provides consistent, high-quality coaching, rather than constantly moving to chase a “better” coach.
This demonstrates the responsibility clubs have to train and develop coaches in alignment with established standards and principles. When this happens, a self-sustaining culture is born:
- Athletes know the expectations are stable
- The system works regardless of individual personalities
- Both coaches and paddlers are aligned to a shared vision of performance, accountability, and growth
Below is a chart of comparison that visually outlines the difference between coaches that create a “style” and coaches that lead with club guidelines.
Personality-Driven Coach vs. Principle-Driven Coach
1. Communication Style
Personality: Persuades with charm, tone, or emotion. Principles: Speaks from clarity, standards, and consistency.
2. Expectations
Personality: Rules shift with mood.
Principles: Expectations are stable, written, and repeatable.
3. Influence
Personality: Depends on being liked.
Principles: Earns respect through fairness and structure.
4. Problem Solving
Personality: Emotional appeal (“Try harder”).
Principles: Uses systems, data, and team agreements.
5.Culture & Accountability
Personality: Athletes answer to the coach’s feelings.
Principles: Athletes answer to team standards and identity.
If you are a coach, leave a comment and let me know which traits you identify with!
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