Effective Communication with Sport Coaches: Building Stronger Partnerships for Athlete Success

#14 - Strength & Speed Coaching – Pursuing Your Best ⚡

Your Strength & Speed Program Is Only as Strong as the Buy-In From Sport Coaches

You can have the best-designed training program, but if sport coaches don’t support it, you’ll constantly be battling for time, resources, and athlete commitment.

You’ve probably seen it before—teams skipping lifts on game days, coaches avoiding in-season training, or athletes being told they’re “too tired” from strength work. The reality is, many sport coaches don’t fully understand how a well-structured Strength & Speed program benefits their teams.

So how do you change that?

Not by forcing them into compliance or flooding them with research articles. Instead, it starts with clear, intentional communication. The best Strength & Speed programs don’t operate in isolation—they thrive when strength coaches and sport coaches work together toward a shared vision.

Here are five ways to build trust, align goals, and create a unified approach to athlete development.

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1. Align Training with Sport Coaches’ Goals

Why It Matters:

Sport coaches care about winning games, reducing injuries, and keeping players fresh. If they don’t see how Strength & Speed training directly helps them achieve those goals, they won’t fully buy in.

How to Apply It:

• Frame training in their terms. Instead of saying, “We need to get stronger,” say, “This will improve first-step quickness, durability, and late-game performance.”

• Ask the right questions. “What’s the biggest physical limitation you see in your athletes?” This helps them feel heard and allows you to connect training to their needs.

• Provide sport-specific insights. If you know a team struggles with late-season fatigue, show them how proper in-season training maintains strength and reduces injuries.

Bottom Line: Show sport coaches how your program makes their team better—on their terms.

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2. Make Training Adjustments Easy for Sport Coaches

Why It Matters:

If sport coaches think Strength & Speed training is rigid or disrupts their schedule, they’ll be hesitant to fully commit.

How to Apply It:

• Use the Stoplight System. Instead of making them choose between “training or rest,” show them how training loads adjust based on game schedules.

• Offer flexible solutions. If a coach is concerned about pre-game fatigue, suggest a shortened activation session instead of skipping training entirely.

• Provide options, not ultimatums. “We can adjust volume to fit your schedule” builds trust. “They need to lift no matter what” creates resistance.

Bottom Line: The easier you make it for sport coaches to integrate Strength & Speed training, the more likely they’ll support it.

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