{"id":235,"date":"2013-01-29T19:07:01","date_gmt":"2013-01-29T19:07:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.coachingafemaleathlete.com\/?p=235"},"modified":"2013-01-29T19:07:45","modified_gmt":"2013-01-29T19:07:45","slug":"how-to-coach-an-athlete-who-takes-private-lessons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.coachingafemaleathlete.com\/?p=235","title":{"rendered":"How to Coach an Athlete Who Takes Private Lessons"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sometimes an athlete taking private lessons can hinder your\"\"<\/a>
\nrelationship with her and her parents.
\nParents spend a lot of time and money on private instruction and do not
\nwant things to differ from what they are spending their money on.\u00a0 If your style of teaching is different than
\nwhat their instructor is teaching, you may run into problems.<\/p>\n

To avoid conflict,
\nit is best to understand what your athlete is learning from your private
\ninstructor and develop from there.\u00a0 You
\ncan always ask your female athlete what they are working on with their
\ninstructor and try to work on those things as well.<\/p>\n

For example, you can say, \u201cMaddy, what are you
\nworking on with your hitting instructor?\u201d
\nShe would respond, \u201cWe have been working on keeping my hands up and
\ntrying not to drop my back shoulder when the pitch is coming.\u201d\u00a0 This scenario is easy to work with because it is a common habit in female athletes, and it is something that is visible to you as a coach.\u00a0 When practicing, if you
\nsee your athlete dropping their back shoulder, you can tell them you see it
\ndropping, and they will make an adjustment.
\nTypically, their instructor has taught them how to fix such problems and
\nthey can self-correct.<\/p>\n

By pointing out something they are
\ndoing wrong, that is noted by you, the athlete, and their instructor; you will
\navoid conflict with all parties involved.
\nYou didn\u2019t change anything about the athletes swing, just noticed that
\nthey were doing something their instructor told them not to do.<\/p>\n

You can also tell the athlete what you
\nhave been noticing in their performance on the field and have them take it back
\nto their instructor.\u00a0 As the athlete\u2019s
\ncoach, you are around them more than the instructor and may see different
\nhabits forming in game situations than the instructor would see in her
\nlessons.\u00a0 By letting the athlete know
\nwhat to tell their instructor, it shows you are working with both of them to
\nmake her better; you are not interfering and not telling her to do something
\ndifferent, just giving her observations.
\nPlease take that point into great consideration; I am not recommending
\nyou change anything about the athletes\u2019 mechanics, but rather noting
\nobservations for her to take to her instructor.
\nOf course in the moment of a game, you as a coach have the right to give
\nher quick tips, but a game would not be the time to change anything.<\/p>\n

If you want to show you are truly
\ndedicated to your female athletes, it would be a good idea to attend one of
\ntheir private lessons.\u00a0 This way, you can
\nsee the drills the instructor is doing, listen to what they are telling the athlete,
\nand use that information in future practices and games.\u00a0 It also shows that you are making an effort
\nto see what your athlete is learning and that you are not wanting to interfere
\nwith what the parents are paying for.<\/p>\n

Key Points for Coaching an Athelte Who Takes Private Lessons<\/strong><\/p>\n