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Joe Ehrmann's Insideout Coaching

Decent Essays

“At practice, Coach was always shouting the word Dig!” (Ehrmann 2011, pg. 53)What coach doesn’t ask for their players to work harder, dig deeper, or strive? We all do. “But to Coach it always meant: Dignity, Integrity, and Grace.” (Ehrmann 2011, pg. 53). Joe Ehrmann’s book InSideOut Coaching is an amazing look into why coaches coach. My mind was blown. My book looks like a firework display of highlights, underlines, and notes. There are so many ideas in this short book my head swam. The book really made me question the what, why, and how I am coaching. His ideas and opinions are a game changer for me. I can relate to Parade Magazine’s assessment; Joe Ehrmann is “The most important coach in America.” upon completing the book. For me the D.I.G. …show more content…

“Transactional” coaches and “Transformational” coaches. Transactional coaches are “the kind of coaches who use players as tools to meet their personal needs for validation, status, and identity.” (Ehrmann 2011, pg 5) Reading about transactional coaching revealed two things individually. One, I was coached by transactional coaches. Two, I do not want to be one. Reflecting on my second point there are times I have been a transactional coach. Especially as a younger coach. I lacked the skill to go further beyond the whistle and loud voice. It was very common for me to punish athletes with extra drills or running. Transactional coaching is just that a transaction. You, the athlete do what I say and I, the coach, the coach will not punish you. Transactional coaches pay attention to their best athletes and look at the “other” athletes as cannon fodder for scrimmages and drills. Transformational coaches look at all athletes as equal. Transformational coaches look to sports as part of the whole person. Sport offers the individual an opportunity to change and grow. Sport can change lives and has. What is strange is there so many examples of transformational coaches in our society. Dean Smith, John Wooden, Lou Holtz, and John Gaglardi, to name a few. Yet as a society we tend to hold up the transactional coach. Is it because coaching in this style is easier? Are coaches given enough time to think about how they …show more content…

Valley City State University is a N.A.I.A. school an hour west of Fargo, North Dakota. I was not coaching, I was with my son in my dad role. For two days I was able to just observe him being coached. The majority of the coaches present were college coaches; Division 1; Wyoming, Division 1AA; North Dakota State University and University of North Dakota, and a number of N.A.I.A. schools. The coaches were very direct, loud, and intense. Transactional coaching to be sure. I bring this up because I saw many places where the principals of Ehrmann’s work could impact athletes. More beneficial I saw myself in some of those coaching habits. Framing my thoughts on the last question revolved around two things. What do I do well and what I need to improve on. I believe my athletes enjoy their experience as an offensive lineman, I have continued relationships with many of my former players both starters and nonstarters. Ehrmann’s book has caused deep thought into the what how and why I do things. For starters; language. I have noticed slipping here and there. Swearing is not needed or tolerated from my players but fine for the coach? It’s a double standard that needs to change. Second, what is my mission statement? what exactly am I trying to accomplish? What is the big picture? I am currently attempting to define my mission statement. It would be easy to just

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