Rob Kaminsky, St. Louis Cardinals, on the Power of Coaches as Mentors
We asked Rob Kaminsky, St. Louis Cardinals organization and 2013 1st round draft pick, to share his perspective on the power of coaches as mentors. Here’s his take.
There’s a fine line between being a consistent coach and the willingness to change for each player individually. Not every player can be coached the same regardless of what’s on the front of their chest. Athletes are their own individuals at the end of the day.
“Not every player can be coached the same regardless of what’s on the front of their chest.” – Rob Kaminsky
I think there’s a lot to be said about cultures of schools, but at the same token, it lands on the coach’s plate to be willing to adapt and help the individual more than anything. The sooner coaches, influencers and mentors realize that they have to adapt to help the player first and foremost, the better the culture will be in the long run. Everyone wants to be there, everyone wants to share the clubhouse and feel safe in that facility.
Coaches can look at their job as stress managers – especially coaching 16 - 20 year-olds. They are more of a stress manager, parental figure, aunt or uncle – what ever it is – they are not just a coach. Most importantly, coaches help these young kids develop on and off the field. It is as important as the physical side of the game.
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