"A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life."

~John Wooden

In last month’s newsletter, we explored the role of motivation and how it applies to all areas of life, including sports. I also introduced Self-Determination Theory, which proposes that people have three basic psychological needs, autonomy, competence, and relatedness, that must be met to support motivation, foster growth, and promote overall well-being. While the coach’s role in this process may have been implied, the focus was primarily on the conditions that support athlete motivation, especially intrinsic motivation.

If you visit my practice website and click on the Running Coaching tab under the Services menu, you’ll see that I start by sharing the dictionary definition of the word coach—to instruct, direct, or prompt. But if you keep reading, you’ll find that my personal definition doesn’t quite align with that traditional meaning. For me, coaching is much more of a collaborative partnership between the athlete and their coach, built on mutual respect, shared goals, and a sense of accountability. It is the epitome of a 2-way street.

In the world of sport, we know that coaches play a central role in shaping the motivational climate and the decision-making process. When coaches support autonomy, they not only enhance athletes’ competence and enjoyment but also help reduce maladaptive behaviors. On the other hand, an authoritarian or controlling coaching style often leads to the opposite: diminished performance, increased anxiety, and a decline in overall well-being. Not exactly the outcomes most athletes have in mind.

Authoritarian-Controlling Coaching Style

This coaching style is characterized by strict rules and rigid structure, but offers little freedom or autonomy to the athlete. Common behaviors include belittlement, excessive criticism, dismissing athlete concerns, and conditional regard (e.g., “my coach only values me when I succeed”). While coaches may believe these tactics enhance motivation, athletes often experience them as hurtful and anxiety-inducing. Such behaviors can impair learning, erode self-confidence, and ultimately hinder performance. Despite growing research supporting the benefits of more compassionate and autonomy-supportive coaching, this archaic approach remains deeply embedded in sports culture.

Autonomy-Supportive Coaching Style

This coaching style is defined by creating a culture where athletes are given choices within clear guidelines. This allows athletes to take initiative and avoid guilt-inducing and shaming behavior. When athletes feel heard, respected, and genuinely cared for, it provides room for motivation, both personal and performance growth, psychological safety, and a significant reduction in anxiety.

Contrasting Styles

Every generation is quick to point out the flaws of the one before it, but coaching style is one area where this reflection shouldn't be dismissed or swept under the rug. Many of today’s coaches were once developing athletes themselves, who were coached with methods that wouldn’t be considered best practice by today’s standards. As a result, their outdated approaches are often the only behaviors they know.

The power of coaching beyond performance outcomes lies in its ability to shape who athletes become as people, not just performers. For young athletes, coaching plays a central role in forming their identity. It teaches them how to handle adversity, set goals, and truly value growth over a results-only approach. A strong athlete-coach relationship that is rooted in mutual respect, shared accountability, and open and honest communication creates deep bonds that help athletes thrive in other areas of their lives outside of sport.

As both a healthcare provider and a coach, one of the greatest joys I experience is watching athletes regain trust in their bodies. Many of the runners I now coach first came to me as patients, unsure of when they’d be able to return to the sport they love. Injury often robs people not just of their ability to run (insert sport here), but of self-confidence. This often creates sadness and profound anxiety that can linger long after the pain of their injury has faded. To help someone move from that uncertainty to a place of self-belief is powerful and transformative. Yes, I write training plans, but more importantly, I aim to create an environment where athletes know they are supported and feel as though they are truly part of the process. When people truly feel a sense of agency, when they know their coach empathizes with their struggles and truly listens, the result is often more than just performance gains, it's emotional resilience, physical growth, and a renewed sense of overall well-being.

In any sport, both athletes and coaches strive to support physical, mental, and emotional well-being to achieve peak performance. Yet the intense pressure and competitiveness of sport can have the opposite effect, often contributing to anxiety that not only hinders performance but also undermines overall health. Even with supportive coaching, athletes are nervous at best and extremely anxious at worst. A coach's role is to help calm those emotions, not to fan the flames.

Keep moving forward!

Nothing But Good News

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Recipe of the Month

​Nutty Green Veggie Crunch Salad​

If you live in a part of the country where it’s felt like 95 degrees for what seems like forever, you’ll understand why salads are such a staple in our summer diet. No cooking means no oven, no stovetop—and a cooler kitchen. If you love leafy greens, fresh herbs, and toasted nuts, this one won’t disappoint!

Thanks for reading! Reply any time.

~Dana

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