The “X” Factor in Top Coaches
Posted April 19, 2009 – 6:16 am in: Pegasus Internet Training Program
What seperates the top coaches from the rest is in what I like to call the “X Factor”. The great ones have it; Brad Gilbert (Andre Agassi), Vince Lombardi (Green Bay Packers), Johan Brunyeel (Lance Armstrong), Michael Joyce (Maria Sharapova), and Phil Jackson (Chicago Bulls), have all been great athletes and top performers in their respective sports. After hanging up their sports shoes, they have taken their talent, and have injected into the players. Yes these coaches have knowledge when it comes to:
- Psychology
- Physical Training
- Strategy
- Technical Advice
But they also have what I call THE X FACTOR!
What is the X Factor? In my opinion it is all the non tangible attributes the coach brings to the table. It is the ability to crawl into the athlete’s skin and head, and bring out the absolute best in them. Their charisma draws the attention and respect out of their players and they get them to listen. Their approach to practice is meticulous and they make the training sessions harder and tougher than the actual competitions.
The X Factor also refers to the coaches understanding of what their player goes through physically and mentally. Because these coaches have experienced the ups and downs from their previous careers and endeavors, they know when to be tough on their player and when to back way off.
The top coaches can make considerable impact on the career of the athletes that are so fortunate to come across them. I know I was lucky. Without my coach Lenny Preheim, I would have never done as well as I did in cycling. His words of wisdom and coaching techniques made a significant contribution to my success.
2 Comments
Hi Paul,
In light of this article about the X Factor, what are your thoughts on Oscar Wegner? Do you use his method in your tennis coaching and are you in touch with him (I see that you both live in Florida)? I was just curious as I have found his DVDs super effective. I discovered your website doing research for a friend who has a severe case of MS, but then I noticed you are a tennis coach as well - I am a tennis addict and a big believer in cross-training to improve tennis performance. Thanks for any information you can provide on Oscar. Larissa
Hi Larissa! Thanks for visiting my site. Yes I know Oscar and his tips on suggestions are fantastic for teaching people how to learn tennis from scratch. I have found his tips for “stalking the ball” and “waiting” for the ball to be very effective and his dvds are great for people starting out.
No doubt that cross training can help your game! Do you currently have a program that you follow?
Thanks!
Pauly P