September 19-27 is National Coaches Week. On this occasion, CEC would like to express its gratitude and appreciation to all the passionate individuals who choose to coach climbing across our country. Join us in reaching out to your coaches, past or present, to say…
“THANK YOU COACH!”
Andrew Wilson, our High Performance Director, has this to say about climbing coaches:
“Coaches willingly take on the task of helping our athletes to become the best climbers, competitors, and people they can be. Most coaches take on this responsibility with thoughts of giving back, providing opportunity and being a part of a great community. The rewards are numerous to be sure.
The role is not without challenges, however, and many of these are not apparent at the outset. Being a coach means being involved in each athlete’s life. This includes sharing emotional situations, the stress of competition, the pain of loss and the uncertainty of future results; and the coach travels this roller coaster with every athlete in their charge. Coaches must learn to be calm when tensions are high, to accept personal criticism and emotion driven behaviour without taking it personally. They are responsible for researching, creating, and evaluating programs and then held accountable for the results that are out of their control. Coaches are open to second guessing and suggestions from anyone who has read an internet article or watched a 30 second Instagram story from a famous climber. Coaches must watch athletes move on to other teams, other coaches, and other activities. It is ALL worth it.
The best coaches are also good students and one of the big rewards is the personal development that comes with coaching others. Coaches share rich and vibrant experiences with their athletes, parents, and fellow staff. The complex and nuanced environment that is a competition requires attention to detail, emotional control, and adaptability. Our coaches are especially important people in our athlete’s lives.
So, take time this week to reflect upon your coaches: past and current. If you feel the same gratitude I do, take the time to reach out and tell them. I know they will appreciate hearing it.”
