The Coaches paradox

[Furface]

Last week I turned up expecting to run a "Coaching " session where Coaching is available to those what want it. One archer turned up to shoot. When no one else arrived, I offered to work with him on anything he liked, but he said he knew all his own faults by himself, thanks.
So, a question. Coaches are told not to approach archers with advice or offers to "help". Most archers at my club say they're not interested in being coached, often because they believe it doesn't help. So no opportunities to demonstrate that coaching does help. How do others break this circle?

[Little Miss Purple]

womble is desperate for some coaching but none is openly available!!!

[joetapley]

You could try giving a general talk on a topic. The resulting " I never knew that" might get the appropriate reaction.

The odd unsolicited comment of the "did you know you are only standing on one leg" variety can also work. Not pushing it, but if the archer finds out that reacting to the comment brings results........

[Radar_UK]

It's interesting to see that you say that most archers at your club don't want advice and coaching - maybe it's because I am a relative novice at the sport but I often ask our club coach for advice and help and he is always more than happy to spend time with me to help out, but I do appear to be about the only one who does ask. Even other novices who joined around the same time as me are more than happy to keep plugging away on their own !! Interesting to note that I always seem to score much higher than them, must be the coaching because it certainly isn't down to natural talent

I've always been a firm believer in if you don't know or am unsure then ASK someone who does know !!

[Bald Eagle]

I,ve been a coach for a number of years and have found that if you push too hard to help someone you'll end up with the proverbial egg on your face. I walk up and down our line asking if everyone is o.k. and if they need any help and if they do they shout, we have 4 coaches in or club and we are all of the same mind, leave them alone unless you can see something obvious that's giving them grief and then approach democratically, not autocratically 'cos they may be bigger than you! In our county we have a number of clubs with no coaches and people are coaching new starters who have very little knowledge of our sport and quite frankly it makes a mockery of my coaching certificate and CRB checks. How they get away with it I don't know.

[LineCutter]

I'm not a coach, so I get to nag people who ought to ask for help & then foist them on the club coach for sorting out while I shoot
We're kind of back to the video thread - if you can't see it or feel it yourself then how can you make it better or know that you need to? We all develop bad habits from time to time. Routine club coaching nights would seem a reasonable compromise i.e. if you turn up on Wednesday then you will be coached if you need it, if you don't want coaching you'd better have perfect style or stay away.

[SLOWHAND]

My signature says it all, when I dont think there is anything left to learn, thats when I will pack in the sport.

[Badger]

Speak to me....I am a Gnas Coach...always willing to offer help!

Best wishes

Badger

[Bald Eagle]

Well said Badger, as a coach it is impossible to switch off, I would never turn anyone away, even to the detriment of my practise, I'm always willing to help. If I do't know, I'll find out, is my motto!

[doubletop]

i will always ask for help especially for my lads as i find they listen to a stranger telling them the same thing as i am and then do it

stranger is defined as anyone but me in this particular message

i always need help in my shooting as i probably do it wrong most of the time i just wish i could be more consistently good as opposed to consistently bad