I have been totally immersed in coaching coaches the last three weeks in New Zealand. On reflecting on what I saw and have seen throughout my career there are three key ingredients that are the determining factors in the difference between good and great coaches:
Passion – This is the fuel that drives everything. It is what drives you forward in the good times and the bad.
Knowledge – This is the guide that provides the direction and context to guide the passion.
Experience(s) – This is what provides the perspective. It is what allows you to keep the big picture in mind and the end always in sight.
Vern is the Director of Gambetta Sports Training Systems. He has been the a conditioning coach for several MLS teams as well as the conditioning consultant to the US Men's World Cup Soccer team. Vern is the former Director of Conditioning for the Chicago White Sox and New York Mets. He has lectured and conducted clinics in Canada, Japan, Australia and Europe and has authored six books and over one hundred articles related to coaching and sport performance in a variety of sports. He has a BA in teaching with a coaching minor and an MA in Education with an emphasis in physical education from Stanford University.