Beware of YOUTUBE Experts.

When I started coaching and I wanted to increase my knowledge I sought out other coaches with experience and a proven track record. What I noticed was that few of these coaches ever wanted to be the smartest person in the room. They were constantly looking to increase their knowledge base. I value education and every day I try to learn something. Something that is going to make my gym better. Something that is going to make me a better coach, something that is going to make me a better person. 

I know I am getting old and I accept that.  Maybe that is why I am distrustful of a “YouTube” education. I believe that to be an expert you need to have taught something more than once. You need to have failed and recovered. You need to get your hands dirty. When I am out on the road doing clinics and consulting I do not want to be a wide eyed idealist convinced I have all the answers or a perfect plan. I cannot talk about what it takes to coach an athlete through the Olympics because I have never done that. I want to learn from those around me. I want people to learn from my failures as well as my successes. 

It seems that today’s experts tend to be judgmental bystanders. Many of your YouTube experts sit comfortably behind their computers lending advice, putting out videos of the way they may have done something ONE TIME with ONE gymnast. 
– They are happy to tell you how you need to coach your level 10. 
– What the best drill is for a Jaeger or Yurchenko. 
– What you need to do give you a winning program.

The famous bullfighter Domingo Ortega used to joke about how so-called experts sit comfortably in the stands while the only one who truly knows the situation is the one who steps into the ring to face the bull.

Why would you want advice from someone who hasn’t done it before or doesn’t have a great deal of experience? 

A couple weeks ago I needed to a  fix a broken valve spring on my plow truck.  Having never done anything this complicated I had my iPad propped up on the engine and I followed the YouTube video step by step. Everything seemed ok. But the truck ran really rough. I called a friend who works in a garage and he sent me to another video. This one showed another step and now my truck ran much better. 
LESSON- I should have called my friend who works in the garage first. Gotten his advice before I tried.  

As I was researching VALVE ADJUSTMENT videos for my truck- VALVE REPLACEMENT SURGERY camp up. Oh dear god!
DO YOU REALLY WANT A DOCTOR WHO LEARNED TO DO THIS SURGERY ON YOUTUBE?!  
Of course not! 
DO YOU WANT A SURGEON WHO HAS ONLY DONE THIS SURGERY ONCE OR TWICE? 
No, you want someone with experience. 

As a coach, you need to be hungry to learn. You need to work for that knowledge. You cannot just sit behind your computer and look at videos and think that you are getting an education. There are so many camps,  congresses, clinics and conferences out there. 
Get off your ass and go find one. 
If one isn’t available- HOST ONE. I can think of a dozen REAL experts who would be happy to run a clinic in your gym for you and the clubs near you. If this is not practical, find a coach with experience and ask them if you can visit. 

Become a critical thinker and skeptical of YouTube experts. – When you see a video, look at that persons credentials. There are certain some great thinkers out there and you can find some good drills but if your entire educational plan is largely based on watching YouTube videos, you are probably not going to be as successful as you want. When I post videos I try to post quality material. I have experience, I’ve made mistakes, I try really hard to have a good foundation and then find drills that work for that particular gymnast.  But even that is lacking.

Tony