Recliner Coaching

Recliner Coaching

Yesterday Team USA had a rough day. Two of our athletes that had real shots at medals Jessica Lucero and CJ Cummings bombed out. Today there are people all over the world talking about the mistakes made by the coaches and athletes. The problem is that none of these people know what they’re talking about. Most of them dream of coaching an athlete at this level or being an athlete at this level. The problem is that if you haven’t done either, then you have no idea. Of course that’s a part of sports that athletes and coaches must endure, but it’s almost comical that people do this.

I have been on receiving end of the criticism, so I know how it feels. After the Senior Nationals, everyone had an opinion of what I could’ve done better as a coach. I had to endure all of that. No one remembered all of the competitions prior, the records sets, or the successful calls. They could only see the mistakes of this competition.

Here’s what you guys and gals don’t know. There are multiple decisions to be made at an International competition or a National competition especially when you are at the top of the food chain. Think about all the questions that need to be answered:

Did they open aggressively striving for a medal?

Where they considering team points or not? (Hint: they don’t always worry about this.)

What needs to be hit to maintain or increase the athlete’s stipend? Very important for the future of the athlete/

Are they chasing an American or in this case a World Record? If so, then good for them for going for it.

Has the athlete’s training gone well? Consistent and/or big lifts?

Are the athletes used to World level event?

Did the warm ups go well or not?

What’s the strategy of the meet?

Look you may have coached at a National event or some local events, but don’t assume that strategy at this level is the same as your normal strategy. It’s not as easy as being conservative and trying to go 6:6. I have seen very little of this. I have witnessed about 3 bomb outs per weight class because athletes are going for it. Guys it’s the World Championships. People are here to win not to go 6:6. If an athlete has the ability to medal, they have to go for it. Yeah they could be conservative, go 6:6 and end up in eighth place. However that’s not what anyone wants. They want to make waves on the World level. That’s why athletes train. They don’t train 12 times a week to be conservative earning 8th place when they could’ve potentially won a medal. If you don’t understand that, then you’ll never coach great athletes.

Look I know both coaches. They might not coach like me, but I know that they are both amazing coaches. I also have witnessed both athletes destroy it on the platform, so I know that there are about to go back to work with one thing in mind. Total domination next time!

Unless you’ve been there, I encourage all of you to keep your thoughts to yourself. Read through this incomplete list of questions, so you can start to get an idea that there’s a lot more going on than you might think. I hope this article gives all of you some insight. I am sure that Reddit will roast me, but I am way over all of that. The advantage that I have over Reddit is that I am here, and they’re not. They’re somewhere in their mom’s basement typing away on their keyboard dreaming of actually being successful.

Go Team USA!