Coaching vs. playing: What is the difference?
One of the paradoxes of coaching is that many great players have gone on to become mediocre or ineffectual coaches while many mediocre or ineffectual players of the game went on to become great coaches. Coaching requires different skills than playing. Of course, the coach like the player must understand the mechanics of the sport and have an understanding of physical conditioning and mental preparation for competition. However, a player generally only has to worry about what 'works for him' -- for his body, his position, and his current place on the team. A coach, in contrast, must have a 'macro' understanding of the entire team and the constellation of personalities that make up the unit. A coach must also be a psychologist and have good interpersonal skills as well as have knowledge of tactics and strategy. What works to motivate one player will not necessarily motivate another.
Coaches must often have strong administrative and fundraising abilities, particularly non-NFL coaches (which are the majority of most coaches in the profession today). "When you're in the NFL, and you're going to do something...
By the way, would you go raise the funding?'" (Farmer 2013). College coaches often have to put in more intensive efforts into recruiting. However all coaches, regardless of how lucrative the franchise or school they are supporting, must have an eye for spotting talent. This is another critical difference between coaches and players: a player might be talented but does not necessarily have the ability to spot talent in others. For a coach, however, the ability to see talent, even raw talent, reflected in the performance of up-and-coming players is critical.
Entering the coaching profession often demands considerable sacrifices, even though the most successful college and professional coaches may command top-dollar salaries. From the world of basketball, an instructive example is Brad Stevens, the current coach of the Celtics. After playing in college as a serviceable player without a hope of advancing to the pros, Stevens entered corporate America. However, the desire to play the…
