The Types of Athlete Complaints

Since I was busy this week, I stole all of this shamelessly from Jim Pedro, Sr. I'm trying to decide if it should go in THE BOOK and if so, where.


"There are different types of athlete complaints. 
There are the 10% or so of people who always complain about everything. They won't be happy no matter what you do.You can't worry about them.


Then, there are athletes who are complaining because they are tired and run down.  It's an athlete's right to complain. One thing I've learned over the years is that you can push an athlete further than he or she thinks is possible. In these situations, complaining is a sign the athlete is being worked to the limit. Some coaches take that as a personal affront and think the athlete is lazy or unmotivated. I don't. Of course anyone is going to be miserable and complain in that situation. Wouldn't you? Or are you just perfect? As long as they're working and training, the complaining shouldn't bother you.

One reason this complaining bothers coaches is they do personalize it, either the athlete is lazy or the athlete doesn't like them. If your players are working hard, that's the important thing, who cares if they bitch? 

The number one thing you need to remember is that you're athletes don't have to like you every day. Lots of days, they won't. They have to respect you and believe that you are doing what you sincerely believe is in their best interest.


Sometimes athletes complain because they don't understand the concept of periodization. This is especially true with athletes making the move from recreational players to more serious competition. When we have been working them really hard during the pre-season period and they are moving slower in practice, it gets frustrating. What I tell them over and over, is


We're not peaking you for practice! We're peaking you for the nationals (insert whatever tournament you're training for here)!


Then, there are those times when a complaint means something. If somebody who never complains that says he/ she is injured, you better listen. You want to look beyond the complaints. If your whole group, not just one or two people, is standing around talking more, slowing down, maybe it's time to cut practice short. Don't just listen to what people are saying, watch the intensity of the workouts to make decisions on whether you really have pushed to the limit.


Coaches need to have the courage to step into that role and make the decisions based on their own training system. Hopefully, you'll get the results you and the athlete are seeking. If not, you'll know that you tried your ideas, they failed, and you'll be able to change them. You can't  grow without having the information on whether your ideas, implemented as you planned, actually work.


If you really believe your training program will work, then you see it through and don't change it because someone was whining and crying about it. You're there to be their coach, not their friend. Following through and monitoring your results will hopefully make your players better athletes and you a better coach."

For those of you who asked me about THE BOOK, it's coming along slowly. I just mailed another chapter off to Jim yesterday. I've been busy with work. Had a very good session today with the North Dakota state judges on our data on ethical judgments on the reservations and tribal organizations. Ironically, the session next door was on courtroom security. You'd have guessed I was teaching that one, wouldn't you?