| EliteFTS

Joe Ehrmann was the Keynote speaker at the 2014 NSCA Coaches Conference and really connected with the audience. Coaches often seek presenters that can relate to their situation and help them grow as people. Joe Ehrmann delivers a thoughtful and honest message for people in a mentoring role. The simple message that coaches can gravitate toward, grab onto, and use in their own development along with their athlete's development?

Transactional Coaches vs. Transformational Coaches

Ehrmann is the author of the InSideOut Coaching: How Sports Can Transform Lives. I have read this book and I was definitely captivated by Ehrmann's writing. Ehrmann's ability to self-reflect with unaologetic honestly was refreshing and impactful. The basic concept is one that all strength & conditioning coaches can (and should) relate to.

Ehrmann has separated coaching into two categories. Transactional and Transformational.

In his own words, Ehrmann describes Transactional coaches as "...[coaches who] look for what they can get out of coaching and not what they can give. They ignore athletes developmental needs and often manipulate and distort the values of wining and losing."

On the contrary, transformational coaches use sports to mentor and improve young peoples lives and assist them in becoming a productive member of society. Sports are a microcosm of life and coaching may be the best opportunity to help young athletes become better people, above all else.

Erhmann explains, "Outside parenting, there might not be a better platform than coaching to transform boys and girls into healthy and thriving men and women. A coach's responsibilities include helping young people to confront and comprehend the toxic culture that is trying to seduce and shape them."

It is refreshing to see many of my colleagues who have used these terms to self-evaluate and mentor their staffs. I have gained the uncanny ability to tell whether a coach is coaching for themselves or coaching to help others in about 30 seconds. You can identify these individuals as the coaches trying to prove their worth with every statement as opposed to praising the worth of every athlete. Here is a list I have compiled to better define transactional and transformational coaches in (mostly) my own words.

Transactional Coaches...

are worried about the logo on their polo
love making YouTube videos showing their athletes to make themselvs look better
love being part of the action and being noticed
loves record boards and publicizing PRs
write articles to impress fellow coaches
have a tally of how many DI prospects they train
use the accomplishments of athletes for their own recognition

Transformational Coaches

teach athletes the value of hard work
care about their athletes and are not afraid to show it
mentor young men and women on how to deal with life issues through athletics
connect with athletes on a personal level and value each of them
reward athletes that display high character qualities
promote leadership potential and encourage athletes making the difficult, but right decisions
take time to talk about "the why"

This list is far from inclusive or complete. These are my thoughts, not the authors. That being said, we can all relate to these qualities and understand the bottom line and the most important question we all must ask ourselves....

Why are you a coach?

My college coaching days are long gone and I haven't trained anyone in over a year. My coaching duties are regulated to 6-7 year old girls soccer and I have no idea what our record was last year. My goals for our team?

Have so much fun playing soccer you can't wait for practice
Make meaningful friendships based on trust and compassion
Learn the game of soccer along with how and why you can be good at it
Play again next year

I am extremely lucky to be a dad to three wonderful daughters. That to me is my most important "coaching role." I am fortunate to be a teacher while still having the opportunity that Dave has given me to continue to write. I am fortunate to stay connected with coaches and have made a commitment to share my experiences and mistakes along the way.

I will always be proud of the fact that even though I am not a college coach anymore, there are a group of young men and women that number in the thousands that still to this day call me "coach". Even the ones early in my career when I was more transactional than what I became later on. Without a doubt, I became a better coach when...

I realized I didn't know everything
I realized it wasn't about me
I realized the best job I could possibly have is the one I had

This transition happened over time and was probably not just me getting older. It way due to the coaches I worked with and the athletes I coached. I only hope my faith, my wife, my little girls, my students, and my little soccer players will get the best of me every opportunity I have. That is the challenge we all have as "coaches."