The job of a coach is to get people to do the things they don’t want to do, in order to achieve the things they want to achieve” – Tom Laundry

I remember Coach Kriese saying something along the lines of, “when a kid tells themselves to do something it is as powerful as a coach telling them 15 times over.”  I never forgot that and it relates back to the power of self-motivation and deep practice.  The best coaching occurs when the student becomes inspired to take control and start teaching themselves.

I have often told players about this concept in what I refer to as the “15:1” rule.  The rule simply means what you tell yourself one time is as powerful as a coach telling you 15 times.  There is no scientific data to base it on it simply is a metaphor for how powerful engaging one’s mind really is.

I have had the ability to film players technique in slow motion for a few years now and it has been an invaluable tool.  Recently, I have found a way to combine it with the 15:1 rule, making it even more powerful.  By taking a few minutes to analyze the video and share it with the players online it has allowed them to take a more active role in their development.  It has allowed them to recall what was talked about in their lessons and then take charge to start coaching themselves to improvement.

Here is an example of video analysis: