Coach and Athlete Communication: Give Feedback in a Way They Will Understand

Many youth coaches feel they always give feedback in practices and games. When speaking with coaches about the feedback they give athletes, I always hear the same answer, "I give constant feedback.". When I dig deeper, what comes out is that many coaches aren't giving feedback but just yelling instructions.

Instruction that only sometimes gets heard by the athletes or even makes sense. Here are some tips for success that can help coaches and athletes connect around the feedback given and received. Feedback needs to be clear, concise, and actionable. This helps the athlete incrementally improve. There's also a fine line between corrective and negative feedback. If you are doing something correctively, you are aiming to improve the athlete; negative feedback should be held on for limited situations because it has a chance of insulting players as much as instructing. So, use negative very sparingly. Also, look to give feedback every 3rd time. You can’t micromanage after you give the feedback and instruction to correct. Let the athletes learn, do and try to get it right. If you hit between 30 and 50% you are probably striking a good balance. Ok, now three tips to help you communicate quickly in a way to help everyone maximize communication:

1. If you are 30 yards or more away – Caveman Talk: Use 1-2 action words that get the point across. Give that verbal cue to spark the memory.

2. 15-25 yards away – Twitter Speak: Short sentences, direct and to the point. Can't hang out with long-winded comments. Get in and get out with the feedback. 

3. 5-10 yards – Conversation Time:  If you are that close, chat about what is working and what needs improvement. Be sure to connect with eye contact and proximity to be sure you and the athlete are engaging in the conversation. Remember, conversations are two-way – so don't just dominate the feedback, ask questions and get answers.