by Mike Davenport, Coaching Sports Today
Why young student-athletes join your team is important to know.
More important, though, is why they stay.
When you know why they stay you see your strengths through their eyes.
So try this, ask your athletes “Why do you stay?”
You can expect two benefits.
First, as mentioned, it will give you insights into strengths of your team.
Second, an athlete who is asked why he or she stays on the team (what they find of value) will
feel — in part — understood.
“Most of us are desperate to be understood,” says Michael Schreiner.
So when you ask an athlete, “Why do you stay?” you start a process of understanding.
And feeling understood fills a core need, and that can help with athlete retention — “They are trying to understand me here, I think I’ll stick around.”
That simple little question, “Why do you stay?” can have quite an impact.
For you, and for them.
Mike Davenport is the creator of Coaching Sports Today, a coaching career resource for college coaches. He is also one of the National Recruiting Coordinators for Tudor Collegiate Strategies, working with coaches who are clients, and leading workshops on college campuses around the country with a focus on athlete retention. To contact Mike, email him at mike@dantudor.com