A Snapshot of New Beginnings on a Clean Sheet
This is the season of many new beginnings in figure skating. It’s the new competitive season. It’s the new school year offering new chances to grow your coaching business. It’s a time of refocusing efforts and goals for your skaters. It’s also the time of year when new opportunities appear for coaches as skaters move on from group classes, as some skaters look for a new coach as they start at a new rink, and for some, it’s the time of the year when skaters and parents look at a possible coaching change.
How do parents and skaters choose a coach? It is much more involved than simply looking at results on the ice and in competition. You can be sure that they watch as coaches teach on the ice and interact with skaters and their families off ice.
What are parents and skaters looking for beyond technical teaching skills? Parents notice everything that goes on in the rink.
Are you fully engaged on the ice wearing your boots ready to participate with each athlete?
Are you the coach who is totally connected and focused with each athlete on the ice and not chatting with other coaches?
Are you someone that parents might find texting or chatting on their phone during a skater’s lesson?
Perhaps you are that committed individual who occasionally texts or calls your students with positive constructive comments or useful information.
Do you take the time to give encouraging feedback about what went well at the end of a lesson?
Do you have a positive connection with your skaters and a smile that comes readily to your face?
Do you think about some of the broader goals of skating such as helping your young athletes develop positive self-esteem and developing life skills?
Do you hold your skaters accountable for the work they promised to do?
Perhaps your skaters journal at the end of each lesson.
What is your personal brand of coaching? You can help define your personal brand with your actions, intentions and behaviors. If you don’t control your brand, it is said that one will be created for you.
