Equip

Coaching Philosophy Train Tracks

By Jason Witt

Posted on February 17, 2023

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The thing about trains is that they always end up where the tracks lead them. Like trains, your coaching philosophy is the track your team’s train follows. It’s why it’s so vital as the leader that you build tracks leading to a valuable destination. #DailyMight

If you’re anything like me, there are habits in your life that are second nature. One of the things that you’ll get to know about me is that I eat the same breakfast almost every morning. By doing so, I don’t have to think about what’s for breakfast. I’ve come to depend on my repeatable breakfast habit to start my day off in a familiar and structured way (sort of like making your bed). I have been fed, I have energy for the day, and I have at least four hours until I get hungry.

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.

1 Peter 3:15

Much in the same manner as my breakfast habit, I use an analogy of trains and their train tracks in youth sports pretty frequently. You see the thing about trains is they always end up where their tracks lead them. A train’s destination is already planned out by the tracks available to the conductor. Like a conductor, your coaching philosophy acts as the tracks to get your season progression to the proper destination. The three main tracks your youth sports coaching philosophy should include follow below.

Philosophy on How To Act.

The first track you should lead your team down during the season is how players act and carry themselves within the locker room (or dugout, etc). Structure in the locker room relating to how athletes treat their teammates and coaches is the coaching philosophy track that all other tracks should be built upon. Creating a successful track for your athletes to interact within the team must be clear, concise, and consistent. It must include instruction on body language, appropriate vocal language, and an emphasis on trust and encouragement. It should have guidelines on how athletes interact and treat coaches as well – and refs and other support staff too.

Philosophy on How to Grow.

Within your coaching philosophy, you need to address the want and desire for the athletes to grow. This is the technical skill of the sport and should be a focus during practice and off ice/court/field activities. Players should get instruction on how to improve their game from where they are right now. This is personalized instruction, to the best of the ability of the coaching staff. Your growth philosophy track should also include mental and emotional growth elements for the athletes to learn. After all, they are young humans too, not just youth sports participants. Growth should be a well rounded initiative.

Philosophy on How to Perform.

As the leader for your team, the last track of your coaching philosophy should lead to athlete performance acumen. We touched on building tracks leading to a valuable destination – performing the character and physical tactics you’re teaching is the final train stop. In addition to the tactics, this is where you add things like encouragement, honor, trust, and friendship. Athletes needs to know you love them, before you can get after them in correction.

Instructing from a coaching philosophy that athletes learn and grow from is the most valuable destination a coach can lead their team to. By planning out what it looks like to have a valuable destination for each season, you prove as the coach that you are putting the growth of the athlete first. And to me, that is the most valuable destination.

Give everything your everything. And then some.

If you’d like, connect with me on Twitter and Facebook, where I’ll share near daily insight on helping you navigate youth sports.