[Guest]

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

 

Dragon Boat Canada


IDBF


Canoe Kayak Canada

196 Guests, 0 Users

[Backward Rowing]

I agree with brainiac.  During practices, the coach is the alpha, and remember that crew practice is about the team working together.  When hiring a coach, the organizers (captain, executive committee, crew consensus, whatever), have to decide what kind of coach the crew wants and how feedback is to occur.  Personally, if it directly relates to the crew, and it is not an off-putting comment, then it should be out in the open.  If it relates to a person or about personalities, it should be done in private.   If a satisfactory resolution does not come about, then I would place my complaint with the organizers.

Here comes the fun part.  If it is not good enough, then I would have to ask myself, "do I fit in with this crew?"  Back to the crap about no I in TEAM.  I've had some wonderful experiences with different coaches in the past.  Some thinking they are GOD, others that pat the heads of poor paddlers by saying, "nice improvement".  I've seen excellent specimens of athleticism that behave like sheep and just goes with the flow, others that complain all the time and causes bad blood amongst the crew. (Wow, just like work.)  What makes an excellent crew is a group of people trying to achieve the same goals with similar abilities to achieve those goals. 

This might be a good suggestion for next season, but I would recommend writing this stuff down for everyone on the crew.  This gives a basis of what the expectations are for the coach, captain, crew and the individuals.  Not saying a constitution, or a play-by-play regulations, but something to say what your crew is about.  --- By the way, I've only been on one crew that has done this, and they have long since folded..... 

[Colossus]

For me there is what happens in the boat versus what happens off the boat. In the boat, the coach has a plan and the plan most likely doesn't include an open forum to discuss issues. So, in the boat, "shut up and paddle" as the saying goes. Off the boat, a coach should be looking for feedback (always constructive), know how to answer questions and how to handle criticism. However, I suggest it would be preferable for a team channel feedback from individuals through the team captain.

agreed.

[Monk]

Thanx again for the input Ladies and Gents. I think it has helped me establish perspective.

[melanie]

I would have to say that I also agree.  It's hard to find this many people that feel the same way all the time, so you have to be able to put it in perspective.  I guess what I'm trying to say is ... well said
                m

[Lethal Weapon]

An interesting topic.....
IMHO I would like to believe that the coach is God in the boat but I also believe he/she should explain their rationale or explain why or what they are teaching is valid. I have coached for many years (not DB)  and have found thru my experience a team that understands why they are doing what they do will achieve much better results than those that do not understand or "buy in" to the concepts at hand. If there is doubt or concern and the individual(s) in question should be given their day in court to back up or show why the have reasons for disagreement or concern. A public forum is better as it gets it out in the open once and for all.  Let the jury (the paddlers) be the judges. I like to believe everything I say is law but there is always something I can learn from anyone (even a newbie) as one of favorite saying is "logic dictates" (Spock  - Start Trek)
I discovered long ago (the hard way) that u cannot please everyone all the time and life is too short to spend every practice having confrontations or discussions with one or more individuals. Bottom line is the coach is an employee of the team.
If u are not enjoying the time u spend with team or your team is not getting what they want from the coach then cut your losses and move on.

hope this helps