HN: Coach, what is your advice for coaches and athletes impacted by the current pandemic, gym and school closures, etc.?
JK: From the beginning of the pandemic, with lockdowns starting in March 2020 to present, the pandemic has altered the state of performance training and life for all athletes. My first response to coaches who have reached out to me from the high school and college level was something I learned early in my professional coaching career: “The onus of training and preparation falls directly on the athlete!”
What I mean is, with limitations accessible face-to-face coaching, the need for virtual meetings, and the stay-at-home mandates, these athletes are/were not receiving the 24/7/365-day supervision and instruction they are used to having. On the other hand, in professional sports, because of the collective bargaining agreements, there are significant time limitations on coaches being able to work directly with their athletes. For example, in the NFL from the time the season is over until training camp the coach only has a nine-week window of opportunity to work with the athletes on-site (with the exception of mini-camp, this is also an optional participation program). The rest of the time, it is the intrinsic motivation of that athlete to develop a structured daily routine to stay in shape for the upcoming competitive season.
What does this mean? It means we need to educate our athletes to being independent. We need to teach them, guide them, mentor them, to be self-led, peer led, rather than coach fed! We need to teach them the capabilities to set up a daily routine and time management plan. We need to teach them what life will be like when they don’t have a coach telling them where they are supposed to be every hour of the day or an academic advisor creating their class schedule for them. And on top of that, how to follow the rules and mandates that the governing bodies of each county, state, and country have put into effect to help keep us as healthy as possible during this trying time.
