What a spectacular morning! Yesterday was one of the first cold September mornings. The dew was incredibly heavy—the first step into the grass was like stepping into a puddle. As I walked along Dow’s Lake, I spotted a Great Blue Heron perched on a tree branch overhanging the lake. The sun was quickly warming the day. I took a few pictures of the bird in silhouette and …, “Oh, wait. Am I on a morning nature walk or coaching our ski practice?”
Image (Kevin Shields): Heron warming itself, Dow’s Lake, Ottawa, ON
I spotted the Heron in the tree as I walked from our training groups’ start and finish points on the Dow’s Lake peninsula. The Arboretum is a regular training location for early morning fall practices for the Carleton University Ski Team. It is a fantastic park for fall training. Just across the canal from campus, the student-athletes can complete a morning workout, get a shower, have some food, and be in a morning class. It is a pretty ideal setup for skiers.
The interaction with nature that morning reminded me of my varsity running days at the University of Waterloo. Similarly, we had a large natural space adjacent to campus with a lake and many birds. Daily training sessions with the team or in small groups were highlights of my university days, and forty years later, watching this group of students from Carleton University completing their team running practice brought back many fond memories of training, teammates, and the lifelong friends I made as a varsity athlete.
Now, in a coach’s role, my approach is to open space for the athletes to notice the spectacular environment they train in and for them to interact with teammates—share these experiences and form friendships. I am not timing their intervals. I’m not shouting at them or directing how they should execute the next interval. I explained the workout, pointed out a couple of opportunities I think could be hidden in this workout, and left choices and decisions to the athletes. Some of these decisions will be individual and some group. But, within this space, what can happen becomes unbounded. Further, I have freed myself to observe and learn. I can enjoy watching this group of young athletes train, something, as coaches today, we don’t do quite enough.
With that, I wish all coaches a wonderful fall training period. On National Coaches Week, thank you for the opportunities you create for athletes, young and old. All the best.
End
The First Lap Coaching:
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All the best,
Kevin
Kevin Shields
Master of Coaching, University of Alberta
BEd, Nipissing University
BSc (Kinesiology), University of Waterloo
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