Katarina Johnson-Thompson's coach Aston Moore has some great advice to aspiring coaches: "Don’t believe in your own bull***t too much."

Depends On The Situation wrote:

cramister wrote:

I've helped a few athletes in my life so far, many have thanked me for "making them" I always respond with "I just said some things, you went and did it" It's their victory.

That depends from runner to runner. Sometimes it's mostly the runner and only a little bit the coach. Other times it's mostly the coach.

I know a runner who was barely top 100 in the country as a senior in high school. Most college coaches had no interest in her at all. Even the girl herself didn't think she had much potential, and she was just looking to run in college in order to get financial help to pay her tuition.

One college coach thought that he could improve her drastically so he gave her a scholarship. She ended up the second fastest in the NCAA her freshman year. She was shocked. She had no idea that was even a remote possibility. The coach said, "I told you so."

So sometimes a runner's success is mostly because of the coach.

rojo wrote:

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your career and what’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given or would pass on?

Aston Moore: Don’t believe in your own bull***t too much. I do know my contribution to an athlete but the first thing as a coach I have to acknowledge is the ability of that athlete standing in front of me. They clearly needed to have that ability first before I brought that out at a particular time and place. A lot of coaches think it’s all them, the great “I am” and that’s death if you’re going to start thinking that way.

In terms of advice I’ve been given, when Charles van Commenee was working in the UK as technical director he said to me: “Take time out to get to know the athlete you’re working with. If you can, spend some time with them outside of the sport.”

He encouraged to me to take the athlete out for lunch and just talk about life, talk about stuff. Sometimes, from those circumstances, you get to understand what actually drives this person.

This guy sounds amazing. More on him here:

Link:athleticsweekly.com/athletics-news/kjt...

Depends On The Situation wrote:

cramister wrote:

I've helped a few athletes in my life so far, many have thanked me for "making them" I always respond with "I just said some things, you went and did it" It's their victory.

That depends from runner to runner. Sometimes it's mostly the runner and only a little bit the coach. Other times it's mostly the coach.

I know a runner who was barely top 100 in the country as a senior in high school. Most college coaches had no interest in her at all. Even the girl herself didn't think she had much potential, and she was just looking to run in college in order to get financial help to pay her tuition.

One college coach thought that he could improve her drastically so he gave her a scholarship. She ended up the second fastest in the NCAA her freshman year. She was shocked. She had no idea that was even a remote possibility. The coach said, "I told you so."

So sometimes a runner's success is mostly because of the coach.

Depends On The Situation wrote:

cramister wrote:

I've helped a few athletes in my life so far, many have thanked me for "making them" I always respond with "I just said some things, you went and did it" It's their victory.

That depends from runner to runner. Sometimes it's mostly the runner and only a little bit the coach. Other times it's mostly the coach.

I know a runner who was barely top 100 in the country as a senior in high school. Most college coaches had no interest in her at all. Even the girl herself didn't think she had much potential, and she was just looking to run in college in order to get financial help to pay her tuition.

One college coach thought that he could improve her drastically so he gave her a scholarship. She ended up the second fastest in the NCAA her freshman year. She was shocked. She had no idea that was even a remote possibility. The coach said, "I told you so."

So sometimes a runner's success is mostly because of the coach.