In Coaching, Level 2 Certificate Course — Recommended Reading, Reference
December 02, 2011

Are you a good coach or a great coach? Ben Bergeron explains the difference and what you can do to take your coaching to the next level.
The essence of CrossFit coaching is to get our clients to move better.
Good coaches can see faults and have the tools, knowledge and ability to correct these faults. If you can get your athletes to consistently move better, you are a considered a “good coach.”
But what then makes a “great coach”?
I believe great coaches have the ability to go beyond the movements and connect with their athletes. I call this the “deeper side of coaching,” which is developing an awareness of your athletes’ potential, building trust and creating an atmosphere of success. The deeper side of coaching is about establishing and nurturing a strong relationship between an athlete and a coach. And I would argue this relationship is the foundation of our true goals as coaches: to improve the lives, health and happiness of our clients.

15 Comments on “The Deeper Side of Coaching”
1
wrote …
Fantastic. Thanks for sharing. From someone on the other side, you nailed for me the most important aspect - everyone is motivated differently. What works for one person will not work for everyone. Understanding and implementing this is they key difference from good to great.
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2
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I did my Level 1 cert at CFNE and Ben was inspirational. I enjoyed every chance I had to work in his groups and I often refer to how he coached, interacted and formed relationships (even in that short weekend) when I am coaching now. Great to see this article in the journal.
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3
wrote …
Ben knows what he is talking about. He is a great coach. I should know, he is my coach. I still hear a couple of key phrases over and over again in my mind. Sometimes I think that he knows me better than anyone. How does he do that?? His first coaching tip to me was "finish strong". I now ALWAYS finish stong..no matter what. The second coaching tip I keep replaying in my mind was his telling me once how proud he was of me. I will do anything for Ben, except pour salt into open wounds.
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4
wrote …
Great article Ben. I am always trying to better myself as a coach and this is definetly a good read!
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5
wrote …
I was having a difficult time managing all different personalities in my box and this definitely shed some light, excellent advice. I'm volunteering Ben to offer this as cert! I would sure attend
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6
wrote …
Awesome article, YET truly believe KNOWLEDGE is POWER and I get the LISTEN MORE, talk LESS... YET as a Middle School PE teacher & Fitness Instructor for over 20 years..... It makes my day when an athlete/student can squat properly because they have the KNOWLEDGE for the WHY we do what we do... not just "coach said"?!?!?!... My goal is to empower people to be independent of me, and use the knowledge acquired thru our trainings to go on and live life as healthy, happy and balanced PARTICIPATORS, not spectators. So.....again to me a GREAT COACH empowers their athletes with knowledge too?! Maybe I misunderstood the essence of 'trust'... ?!?!?
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7
wrote …
Words to live by. Thanks for spelling it out!
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8
replied to comment from heide hurd…
Ya, you missed it. The point was JUST knowledge isn't enough, and focusing on that alone becomes a crutch for a coach who is having difficulty establishing a relationship and trust with his athletes. It's easy to fall into that trap as a new coach...great advice from Ben.
Great read Ben. Even though we're lucky enough to be at CFNE everyday and experience this first hand it does us a lot of good to take it all in again. It's truly a privilege to be coached by, and have learned how to coach from Ben. Thanks buddy.
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9
wrote …
Great article, Ben. Thank you for all you do, Coach!
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10
wrote …
Kyle,
You are correct, training every modality in one workout would be idiotic. CF WODs don't aim to hit all modalities in every workout. Have you looked at the programming? Just look at December 1-3: 15 minute AMRAP with climbing, wall balls and sprints; 7x1 C&J singles; 20 minute AMRAP with rowing and push-ups. Which of those trains ALL modalities? Please criticize, but do so with accuracy.
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11
wrote …
Great article.
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12
wrote …
Awesome, Ben. Totally relate and agree with this. Thanks for sharing.
D.
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13
wrote …
Awesome, Ben. Totally relate and agree with this. Thanks for sharing.
D.
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14
wrote …
Ben doesn't just talk the talk, he walks the walk. One of the best in the business. Great article.
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15
replied to comment from arturo canada…
I would attend as well :) Hopefully it would be in Ontario =/
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