Coaches, it is important to be aware of the helper’s high. So, what is it?

The helper’s high is that good feeling we get when we help another person out. It’s a wonderful human phenomenon that grows our society.

HOWEVER, in coaching, the helper’s high is not all roses

Coaches want to help, so they cue their athletes. Some coaches cue and cue and cue and cue

If you cue an athlete up enough, eventually something will work. The athlete feels some satisfaction, and the coach feels like he helped.

The coach did his job, right?

Wrong.

Why is excessive cueing bad?

Over time, athletes will:

1. Become overly reliant on coach feedback
2. Lose accountability for their OWN training
3. Think that a fix is just a couple magical cues away

Coaches, on the other hand, will

1. Keep on cueing
2. Keep feeling that helper’s high
3. Get little meaningful results

Coaching isn’t about making yourself feel better, it’s about developing athletes to handle shit on their own.

As a coach, whether you’re in an academy or on a field, it’s crucial to:

1. Observe (more than 1 or 2 throws!)
2. Ask questions
3. Cue with meaning and purpose

And, most importantly

4. Let the kids play!