There is a lot of talk these days about FAKE NEWS. But how about FAKE EDUCATION. These days anyone with an iPhone can make a video of a drill, post it on youtube and declare themselves an expert. To become a better coach you need to find someone you trust to mentor you. Very few of us are blazing a new path in the gymnastics world. Someone has already done it before. You need to find that person who has achieved what you want to achieve and has overcome the challenges you are now facing. Learn from their successes and failures.
In the business world mentorships are commonplace and corporations big and small invest in them to help their employees grow. We need to do the same in GYMNASTICS. Right now the gymnastics world is missing true sports scientist and technical masters willing to share their knowledge. Maybe it is the current environment within USA Gymnastics where we seem to bounce from one crisis to another that is keeping some people sidelined.
Most of us work in gyms that don’t have a formal mentoring program or we work for ourselves. Don’t dismay- there are still many, MANY coaches out there with the EXPERIENCE and knowledge necessary to help you out. It may just take a little bit of work to find them and ask for help. .
At the same time, most of the coaches you WANT to work with are crazy busy, all of us are over-committed and must double down on efforts to block out the noise from frivolous requests that come our way.
To capture the attention of a potential mentor and hold it long enough for him/her to consider mentorship, your message must be highly targeted, clear, and answer these 4 questions.
1: Why Do I Want This Person To Mentor Me?
What specifically about this person attracts you to them? What have they accomplished? How do they live their life? How have they helped others? How well do you know them? Are you basing your attraction on what you see online, or have you engaged?
2: What Do I Specifically Want To Learn From Them?
If you are looking for business advice for your gym, reach out to someone who has been around a while in a similar market. If you are looking to increase the skill level and success of your Level 9/10 program, reach out to someone who has a program you can emulate.
I have seen some business owners in a small to medium market reach out to gym owners in big cities. KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO LEARN.
3: How Will I Apply What I Learn?
Now you have found a coach to mentor you. To stand beside you and help you out. Someone who has been there before. You have written down exactly what you want to learn from them . How will you implement it? Your mentor should be able to help you with this too.
Assume if you are seeking mentorship from someone you admire. You can bet that others are also asking the same person for advice. How do you move to the top of the list? Show them that you will take what you have learned and use it. When people ask me how much a clinic at their gym costs, I give them 2 prices. One if they listen, learn and implement. The other if they don’t listen and I don’t think they will use the info I give.
4: Why Should Someone Mentor Me?
Why you? There are so many gymnastics professionals looking for help right now you need something that is going to make you stand out. Talk about your mission in the gym. Talk about how committed you are to learning and seeking mentorship. Talk about what you will do to ensure your mentor is not wasting their time.
What convinces me to take on someone who wants me to mentor them?
- I believe that they know where they want to be and are committed to the process
- I believe that they will listen, ask questions and implement the plan
- I feel that they will also use their own creativity and problem solve.
- They bake me cookies.
The idea for this article came while I was reading an article in INC magazine while I was talking on the phone with a colleague. We were both frustrated by the lack or REAL gymnastics education going on right now. I had some notes from the article “Chasing Down a Mentor to Help You Grow”.
