Working with coaches and their teams in youth and collegiate sport in the USA: An interview with Dr Andy Gillham

Introduction

The interview of Dr Andy Gillham offers insights and recommendations to sport psychology consultants and to coaches, and the information discussed underscores the necessity for continued improvements in coaching education and the need for practical experience. Dr Gillham’s background in strength and conditioning and his personal experiences, combined with his PhD in sport psychology, allows for more comprehensive understanding of situations and provides discussion points and real-world examples that are very relevant today.

Entry point strategy

For the sport psychology consultant, Dr Gillham provides excellent advice and recommendations within his stories and recollections. Gaining entry to a team is a topic that is often asked about from new and future professionals. His entry point strategy was a practical tool, something that could offer quantitative information to coaches and athletic directors and provide an immediate product. This is an interesting method and one in which we should use in a cautionary manner. To begin, as Dr Gilham noted, it is an entry method, and one that can help a consultant get his/her foot in the door. However, consultants must have expertise, or gain expertise, with an assessment inventory prior to using it. As well, it is important for the consultant to make sure the results from any such inventory are used appropriately by the organization and/or the coach.^1,2 Along with using the instrument as a potential buy in, Dr Gillham highlighted the need for appearing non-threatening to the athletes themselves. This allows for natural observation and for the building of trust, both of which are critical for a consultant to make a positive impact on a team, and for honest assessment of the team situation. Again, as noted by Dr Gillham, much more so than the inventory, he used observation, acceptance, and intuition in working with teams. His ability to do so speaks to the rapport and relationship he built with teams and should serve as a reminder to consultants to review their personal tendencies and reflect upon how they assess teams and athletes. ³ Are they able to remain non-biased and objective? In building relationships with athletes and coaches, how does the consultant manage confidentiality? This is an important aspect of any consultant’s work, and one that directly impacts the trust and relationship with athletes and the coach. Consultants need to also address confidentiality with clients before beginning any type of work. ⁴

Dr Gillham also reminds consultants to be flexible and able to work with a variety of issues and athletes of various backgrounds. In order to do this, consultants may need to seek outside experiences and remain diligent in pursuing continuing education; this also may include seeking experiences outside of their comfort zone to grow as practitioners. The importance of understanding the sport, and the nuances of the sport, was also highlighted. This aids in promoting coach buy in, another aspect that is critical to success. ⁵ As noted by Dr Gillham, if a coach does not support the interventions, or the sport psychology consultant, the team will discount it as well. This means that consultants may need to spend additional time preparing for jobs to learn and immerse themselves as much into the sport and culture as possible. Lastly, it is important to note that Dr Gilham utilized theory to guide his interventions. As we move forward and continue to legitimize the field of sport psychology, this is critical; theory and research should be used to provide the necessary guidance for intervening with athletes. ⁴

Positive coaching philosophy

This interview was also interesting, as it underlined and reinforced many important principles for coaches and coaching educators. Perhaps most notably, was the emphasis on fun. Youth sports should be focused on fun^6–8 while providing a foundation for learning the fundamental skills of the game. Too often, coaches and parents discount this and effectively ruin the experience for the youth, contributing to higher levels of sport attrition. A coach’s emphasis on fun can be closely linked to the need for coaching philosophies. A coaching philosophy provides coaches with the necessary blueprint for handling various situations within the sport and is particularly critical in difficult situations. Coaches should spend time in reflection of their values, morals, and goals when constructing these philosophies. ⁹ The need for reflection was further highlighted, as Dr Gillham recognized that coaches often “don’t really know why they are doing something.” This realization should prompt coaching educators and sport psychology consultants to ask coaches “why?” more often, and to promote reflective awareness. Coaches who practice reflection and have positive coaching philosophies will also be likely to model appropriate behavior. The football coach, who routinely referred to athletes in a derogatory manner, is lacking in both. However, coaches whose philosophy is athlete centered, and who seek to make a positive difference in athlete’s lives, can promote a positive coach–athlete relationship. Dr Gilham’s excellent example of the softball pitcher and the coach, who was willing to listen to the athlete’s ideas, showcases such a positive relationship while highlighting the need for strong communication.

Mentorship

Perhaps also of extreme importance for coaching educators to consider is the role of mentorship in coaching education. This is evident when Dr Gillham discusses Dr Damon Burton and the role his mentor played in his development. Within the coaching literature, coaches routinely note that they learned how to coach from how they were coached.^10,11 As this is a commonly used method of learning for coaches, and as coaches welcome the idea of coaching mentors, ¹² it becomes imperative that coaching educators incorporate more mentorship into their curriculum. This will help ensure that coaches are provided access to trained mentors, which will promote improved coaching.

Barriers to making positive change

Lastly, this interview provided discussion of the barriers coaches must face when attempting to make positive change. Not surprisingly, time continues to be a barrier, and coaching educators should work to find ways to provide coaching education and resources in an efficient and convenient method. As well, sport psychology professionals should strive to make interventions concise when possible, look for ways to implement the interventions into physical practice, and should consider creative ways to remain flexible to best meet the needs of athletes and coaches. Additional barriers noted were struggles with athletic boosters and autonomy, dysfunctional norms, and differing philosophies among coaching staff and/or athletic administration. As these are very real obstacles faced by coaches, again, coaching educators and sport psychologists should work to provide more training, resources, and perhaps even virtual learning communities to help provide support for coaches.

Conclusion

Coaches hold a very important role in an athlete’s physical and personal development. Listening and learning from the expertise and experience of those, such as Dr Gillham, who are currently in the field, is an important aspect of the future development and advancement of coaching education and improved athletic performance.