This is something that I think about a lot. I NEVER needed a coach to motivate me. I was never the "feel sorry for myself" type when I didn't feel like working out/practicing. It's just a foreign concept to me. I figure if there's ever a time I start to understand this it's tim for me to get out of this business.
I bring this up because we have a few teams that just suck. They suck in practice. They suck in the weight room. They suck. This morning I came in to hear one of my assistants frustrated with how much one team, in particular sucks. Attitude, effort, intrinsic motivation... They suck.
Who's fault is it? Obviously, it's the kid's fault. But, I blame the head coach. After all, the head coach is the one that brought the kid to the school. Bring in piss poor kids and you get piss poor performance. It's kinda simple.
Later today my assistant will be getting a call from this coach. This coach who wants/expects us to hold these kids' hands through every single set and rep. First, this is something I WILL NEVER DO. Second, it's NOT the strength coach's job to motivate and hand hold. It's our job to write safe workouts that accomplish a goal.
At what point in time did it become the strength coach's job to be a DAILY motivational person? I get that at the beginning of every workout the strength coach has to bring energy and enthusiasm for what we have to get done for the day. I also get that there are some times when individuals or even the entire team just have a bad day. I get the need for some motivation in these circumstances and I'm not against it.
But, when it's EVERY SINGLE DAY? Bullshit! If I, as a strength coach, someone who will never play another game, will never win another game in my life, have to hand hold, babysit and motivate daily, any athlete then as a sport coach you've recruited TERRIBLE athletes. We're strength coaches, not motivational life coaches.