By: Leo Schroeder and Karine Chan, staff writer 

Coaches often come and go throughout high school sports, and it’s no secret that adapting to a new coach can prove to be quite difficult. Athletes create bonds with their coach that in turn helps their performance in their sport. They trust their coach to guide them in becoming better at their sport as well as being there for moral support. When a new coach comes along, it is common to feel some type of resistance towards them. Athletes feel loyal towards their old coach. However, adapting to a new coach is imperative for athletic success.

Coaches help athletes in their journey to becoming stronger physically as well as mentally. Whether the task is to shoot a more accurate shot, run faster, or lift heavier weights, your coach should be there to guide you through the entire process. A good coach is often a parent-figure in your life. They should guide you through thick and thin and pass on their knowledge and wisdom.  Coaches may also provide moral support in other lacking aspects of the athlete’s life, such as financial difficulty and hardships at home. A good coach is a friend and a mentor to the athlete long after the years of direct coaching.

There is a very high chance that you will have to adapt to a new way of coaching, but nine times out of ten, this proves to be a challenge. Although your new coach’s methods may be just as effective as your previous coach, it is hard to accept them because you have ingrained yourself in a pattern already. Another reason why getting a new coach is hard is because of the bond you had with your old coach. A strong bond was most likely formed between the athletes and their coach, so many don’t want to abandon that. Your new coach also may not know the limits of the team because he/she just met the team, and before he has had the chance to decipher the strengths and weaknesses, he has already been judged. Problems with a new coach can also be a matter of trust. Trust needs to be earned; if the coach and athletes haven’t established trust with one another, it is hard for them to work together. Trust is very delicate, and many times, it is lost because there is not effective communication between the parties, causing blame to start appearing. Athletes need to make sure to communicate their needs so coaches can alter their plans to cater to the team’s specific needs. However, coaches also need to reach out to the athletes and communicate what their intentions are.

To all of the aspiring coaches, on behalf of the athletes at Mills, please understand that being a coach requires more than just showing up. Coaching requires more motivation than just wanting some extra cash. The athletes understand that coaching a high school team is not something that one can make a living off of, but athletes are relying on their coaches to be willing and eager to work with them. To the teenage athlete, a coach is a role model who can heavily influence the athlete. The athlete might find it acceptable to slack off if the coach is doing so. If the coach shows up late or shows poor sportsmanship, the athlete will take it as a direct sign that those normally intolerable actions are permitted. It is crucial that the coach instills discipline, a sense of hard work, and good sportsmanship in each and every athlete.

There is an expectation to what the athletes should be doing for their sport. Cross country runners should be running long distances at practice, not sprints. Football players should work on their accuracy, not long distance runs. Every sport has its objectives and it is the coach’s job to create workouts accordingly. Furthermore, coaches should keep practices constant primarily because it will help the athlete to trust the coach and it will improve them physically. If your coach randomly cancels practice, not only will this affect the athletes physically, but it will also make them question their coach’s choices and attitude, which would most likely lead to distrust.

The athletic body at Mills openly welcomes any new coach as long as they are willing to be a contributing member of the Viking community. Mills athletes expect coaches to make decisions based on the team’s best interests and expects full commitment. In return, we will be open-minded to the coach’s ideas and do our best to fully accept them and make them feel comfortable in the Mills community.