Using A Coach
There are not many things we know for sure, but here is one of them: top athletes in every sport, except fishing, use a coach. Part of the reason for this is that competitive angling is a relatively new sport. At this stage in the evolution of tournament fishing, we haven’t had individuals with enough experience to play the role of Coach. Historically, competitive anglers learned their craft on their own, or perhaps with consultation from one or two trusted colleagues. Tournament fishermen didn’t use coaches because there weren’t any. In basketball, football, and baseball, the role of coach is prominent and visible, however. Any discussion of great names in those sports includes coaches as well as players, people like John Wooden, Bobby Knight, Vince Lombardi, Bear Bryant, Tony La Russa, and Yogi Berra.
However, the argument that coaches aren’t available doesn’t really hold up in 2007. The first generation of tournament fishermen is retiring, and the second generation is clearly talented, wise, and experienced enough to function as teacher/trainer/coach. There are even a few people who are offering coaching services to up-and-coming anglers. If you decide to use a coach to improve as a competitive fisherman, you will certainly be breaking new ground. However, no reasonable person would try to reach the pinnacle of performance in any other sport without a coach. If you want to be the best tournament angler you can be, you need a coach.
Think about a fishing coach like you would a personal fitness trainer. Sure, you can hire a personal trainer to work out with you every time you go to the gym. However, you could also use the services of a trainer (or a fishing coach!) once a week or once a month and still benefit from it. Additionally, you may choose different people to give you coaching advice in different areas. Your sonar guru may not be the same guy who coaches you on deepwater crankbaiting. Not to worry; coaching is where you find it, though you should find it.
A coach can do several things for you. First of all, a coach can demonstrate and encourage you to explore new techniques or fishing methods. No matter how smart you are, you don’t know everything; at the very least, a good coach can show you what you don’t know. A coach will also encourage you to stick with new techniques until you have mastered them.
Additionally, Coach can observe you on the water and give you accurate, real-time feedback. It is very difficult to accurately monitor your own performance while you’re fishing. Your coach can notice and point out to you things you are doing that you just can’t see.
Coach can also give you support and help pick you up during difficult times. You already know how difficult it is to struggle through a poor performance or a long dry spell on the tournament circuit. A good coach can help you keep your chin up and your motivation intact when you can’t make those things happen yourself.
If you are having difficulty thinking about what it would take to find and use a fishing coach, look at it this way; what you really need is input from someone else, another perspective. Lots of people can function in this role for you. However, as you embark on the new 2007 season, consider finding an expert in a fishing area in which you want to improve and see if you can’t talk that person into being your coach.
Seriously, though, even Tiger Woods has a coach! Don’t you think you should get one?
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