This insight is very brief.
Over the years, coaches develop an almost immediate instinct for identifying athletes who struggle to be “coachable.”
A recent study defines “coachability” as a set of essential competencies, including self-awareness, commitment, learning, relationship management, and the implementation of received feedback. Moreover, it emphasizes that these skills are not innate but can be cultivated over time through education (particularly in entrepreneurship, due to its components of creativity, critical thinking, etc.) and experiential learning methods (Somià, Lechner & Pittaway, 2024).
The most important takeaway is that the study reaffirms “coachability” as a dynamic competency—one that can be learned, improved, and strengthened with proper practice. This means that, in theory, no one is ever entirely lost on this path. Hope is the last thing to be lost!
Understanding the significance of this skill inevitably leads us to recognize individuals in our surroundings who struggle to be trained in sports, taught in education, or guided in any other area of personal and professional development.
The key question is: How can we, as parents, educators, and coaches, foster these traits in children? Beyond athletic performance, these competencies are fundamental pillars for nurturing a more tolerant, open-minded, and resilientyouth.
In this regard, sports—and particularly Canoe Slalom, with its inherently high level of frustration—serve as an ideal setting for young athletes to strengthen these qualities. Through training and competition, they can develop into individuals who are open, committed, reflective, and receptive—the kind of people we would all love to surround ourselves with.
As coaches, it is our responsibility to build a work culture where criticism is welcomed, feedback flows freely, and fear of the new is eliminated—without falling into an obsession with novelty. Creating this environment not only enhances performance levels in sports but also prepares athletes to face life’s challenges with an open and adaptable mindset.
