Coaching ENERGY in your Color Guard Rehearsals

Hello Spinthusiasts!

I am back! I feel like it has been ages. It has definitely been a few weeks since I have been able to make a post. With the holidays and the pure craziness of getting back in the groove, things have been WILD!
 I've begun planning for this upcoming marching season. I can't even describe how excited I am. Last year was my first year being a Color Guard Instructor so there was definitely a huge learning curve. I have been able to adjust so much so this season runs even more seamlessly. With all of that being said, it brought me back to a quote I recently stumbled upon that I just LOVE.

"A coach will coach your technique. A coach will coach your game intellect. A coach will coach your practice habits. A coach will coach your fundamentals. A coach should NOT have to coach your energy, EVER. Your energy reveals your attitude and how badly you want it."
-Darren Fenster

It may come off a little harsh but it is the absolute truth. I personally believe that there is nothing a coach can do to give you the ENERGY and the DRIVE to do well. That has to come from inside of you. Sure, a coach can make practice more fun or exciting but we definitely can not take a student with no desire to do well in the sport and MAKE them want to do well. We just can't.

The ONLY thing we can do is SHOW these students with no drive just how amazing this is. We can PUSH them to be their very best. We can show them the ins and outs of what makes this sport something really special. We can perfect their technique until we are blue in the face. But we simply can't TEACH them how to LOVE the sport. I feel like the ones that are unsure about how to feel, at first, will definitely know when they excel in their performance just how much they LOVE what they are doing. It will take these students the opportunity to LOVE it, to find that drive and energy to REALLY succeed.

So, maybe we can't force them to have the energy and drive. That doesn't mean that we should give up on these students. But if we can show them what makes US love it, then maybe they will reach deep down and find the drive that will help them reach their true potential. This is what I hope for my team last year, this year, and every year from here on out: To be able to look back on their Color Guard career and be PROUD of all of their hard work. Because with hard work, these kiddos can do AMAZING THINGS!

Until next time, Spinthusiasts!

The Skye Writer