Posted by Gary Halfteck - British Coach
"Hi Helder
I think this is a really good thing to get people sharing and discussing opinions.
It would be interesting to hear peoples views on creating a winning cultureand what does that look like in your clubs?
We can have the best plans, technical training and facilities but if we don't have the correct positive culture then the gymnast will struggle to reach their full potential.
I have managed to change the culture of my training group but have struggled to change the culture and philosophy of my fellow coaches/club. I work along side coaches who used to coach me when I was a child and they are very much stuck to their ways. Trying to get the majority of the coaches to communicate and engage in a certain way and is becoming increasingly difficult.
It would be great to hear how you all have created a certain cutlure within your club and the things that are most important to you.
RegardsGary Halfteck"
Hello Gary.
ResponderEliminarIt is curious that you open this discussion in this blog, especially because I have, myself, tried to develop this culture in the club where I work. Fortunately, I have not encountered such great obstacles as yours, but even so, things do not always come true in the way we initially idealized. When there is more than one head to think, it is always possible that the conclusions are not what we wished at the outset. However, this is not always bad. Personally, I understand that a winning culture must necessarily be a culture of rigor and excellence, which will certainly create divisions within the working group, separating the gymnasts according to their abilities, but also their work and dedication. It is important that the club be responsive to those who are unable to achieve certain performance levels to ensure that they feel integrated and motivated to continue to be part of the group and, in accordance with their own expectations , continue to evolve. The reality in Portugal is a bit different from the British reality. Our clubs are smaller and struggle daily with financial difficulties, which makes it impossible for us to invest in technical teams such as those we would like to have or form work groups as restricted as we would like.So I think a winning culture has to start in the younger gymnasts groups, with coaches who share the vision we have for the club and with a group conscience that is not enough to do, it is not enough to comply. It is necessary that we always present ourselves in a careful, courageous and ambitious way. It is necessary to create a group dynamic in which everyone supports and demands more from each other. It is necessary to teach the young people the importance of winning, but also the importance of losing and showing them that it is in error that the greatest learning resides, provided that our attitude towards error is the most accurate. As i often say to my gymnasts, "You can fail but you can not be afraid to fail."
Just to finish, I think the winning culture is also in the small details. In the way we present ourselves, visually, in the competition arena; how we relate to our colleagues, adversaries, and judges, and in all our attitudes and reactions when things go well and when things go wrong.
P.s - A Winning Culture is always easier when the technical work is well worked out.
Hope more coaches (portuguese, british and others...) share their opinions with us.
Thank You Gary.
Hello Garry and Helder.
ResponderEliminarI'm a young coach and that's why I came across these difficulties and why? At an early age, the ambition and irreverence of wanting to bring in new methods and knowledge are very much to the skin, which sometimes creates instability in the level of technical work, which I mean by this is that there is not always a pre- meet other presences, which I think is important for the evolution of the whole team as well as for success.
I believe that it is possible to create a winning culture through something as simple as talking, listening, sharing knowledge, not only with our technical team, but also with other clubs, among other things, would take gymnastics globally to another level. (my opinion).
To conclude, I would like to leave here a question that I consider important for this topic.
When we talk about a winning culture within our club, we have to take into account that this is also necessary to pass this culture to "outside" our space, namely for the families of our athletes and the question I leave here is, think important is there a certain kind of "accompaniment" also for the families of the gymnasts, so that in the home the spirit of competition is fed in a healthy way, for example meetings during the time, some clarification on the modality, moments of coexistence, etc.?
For my part is everything, I apologize for my bad English, but I did not want to stop giving my point of view on a theme that is another important detail for the success of all lovers of this modality and beyond.
Strong hug to both, until the next
Renato Lourenço
Obrigado Renato. De facto, levantas uma questão muito pertinente. Como levar essa cultura ganhadora para fora do "nosso ginásio" e como ela pode tornar-se viral. Penso que deviamos todos pensar um pouco mais nisso. Abraço e bem hajas pela tua dispobibilidade para colaborares em prol deste desporto.
EliminarObrigado eu, sempre ao dispor da partilha!
EliminarAbraço.