I suppose the answer to this is yes and no which I admit is a complete cop-out. This answer is because some people believe they are un-coachable, then by entering into the process and changing a few habits suddenly find they are. I also coach people at all levels not just elite athletes. As far as I’m concerned, the biggest reward comes from the ordinary doing the extraordinary.
I read with interest coach Joe Friel’s take on this. Joe has written many coaching books and is co-founder of online coaching platform TrainingPeaks. He admits early in his coaching career he ‘fired’ two athletes. Put simply both were pursuing lifestyle straits that were at odds with physiological training. He has since learned to filter potential clients by asking a few often-uncomfortable questions before taking them on.
Like most coaches I have an online presence and spend a little cash to promote my coaching business. The website has a contact form which comes into my email inbox. Most enquiries are genuine and I always reply outlining services or expand on similar areas of expertise that I have coached riders in. I always suggest an initial consultation either by phone or using one of the video conferencing platforms. In about 30% of cases the contact goes ‘cold’ and I never get a reply, others seem to suddenly become unavailable or demanding which is a very good reason for never taking people like this on. It’s vital to have a one-to-one conversation and initially I’ll ask about goals, equipment and time to train. Now I’m also inclined to ask about diet, whether they’d had a coach previously, and expand on what they would do to achieve their major goal. Answers to the latter vary but I’m afraid ‘anything’ doesn’t cut it with me. By the end of the conversation, I usually have a fair idea whether we are suited and if I have space offer them a place on one of my coaching platforms or pop them on the waiting list if they have medium or long-term goals.
Quite a few people have said to me, ‘if you have their money why should you care who you coach’? It doesn’t quite work like that for a two main reasons:
1. Quite quickly you’ll find you get a bad reputation and word gets around. Not only amongst fellow coaches but also in your given sport. Remember, whatever you spend on advertising and promoting your business nothing is more valuable than a personal recommendation.
2. An unresponsive or lazy athlete is much harder work, someone requiring constant chasing and motivation to actually do some training is a drain on your resources.
To sum up, I will coach anyone but not those with preconceived ideals and lifestyle choices or those who simply don’t communicate – coaching is a two-way street and while I don’t need ‘War and Peace’ each week it’s good to know what has worked, and conversely what hasn’t, it’s also good to know what they’ve enjoyed, which indicates a feel-good factor. Frankly if you don’t train towards a goal or find it a chore its best to do something else.
Since improving my vetting process my coaching business has not only expanded I have more time to give all my riders a first class service.