What characteristics make great strength coach? This is a question that i am constantly asking myself and repeatedly redifining. A strength coach has to be many things, a leader, a mentor, a friend, a motivator, a scientist(often mad), an educator, and a student. A good coach is the first one in gym and the last to leave. It is a demanding career to say the least.
A great coach needs to be educated and also strive to constantly further that education. Most importantly though, i think a good strength coach needs to be creative. To program an athlete to hit a physical peak at a certain time is an art form. The lifts that they have to coach are an art as well. To be able to adapt to a facility, a time restriction, or an injury is all part of that creativity.
Working with athletes can be considered an art form as well. The more superior the athlete the more challenging it can to coach, depending on the ego. You have to be a leader in the weight room and have the respect of your athletes, as well as be able to be approachable and open up to the athletes. This is important because the teams spend more time with their strength coachs than they do their sport coachs. So it’s common for an athlete to come to their strength coach when they have problems with school or their personal life.
This same approachability applies while the lifts are in session. The coach needs to be able to compliment the athletes on what they’re doing right along with telling them what they need to improve. The last thing a coach would want is to only be pointing out the negative cues and have their athletes cringe whenever they approach.
If you can manage to balance these traits and continually improve on your coaching style then in my eyes your a great coach. One thing is certain though, the field is not for everyone.