Communication is everything

In sports, communication isn’t just a skill—it’s the secret sauce to a winning team. Miscommunication can cost the game, while clear, intentional communication builds trust, cohesion, and confidence.

But effective communication is more than words. It’s eye contact, body language, and gestures. Are you training your athletes to master these?

As coaches, how often do we actually train these skills? Building a team that communicates seamlessly, especially under pressure, is not a given—it’s a developed skill. The best teams know how to connect without a word, responding to each other intuitively, and it starts with deliberate practice.

Here are 3 communication exercises to try with your team:

Silent Drill Challenge 🤫

🥅 Goal: Heighten non-verbal communication and team intuition.

👋🏼 How: Set up a game or practice scenario where players can’t speak. They must rely solely on eye contact, gestures, and body language to complete the task. Reflect afterward on how players felt without verbal cues and discuss what non-verbal signals were most helpful.

Pressure-Cooker Decision-Making 🧠

🥅 Goal: Build clarity and calm communication in high-pressure situations.

👋🏼 How: Simulate high-pressure situations (like end-of-game scenarios) and limit players to one or two words each. The restriction forces players to get clear and concise, communicating only essential information. Debrief on what words or phrases cut through the pressure and helped keep the team focused.

Role Reversal Feedback 📢

🥅 Goal: Improve empathy and understanding of communication styles.

👋🏼 How: Have players pair up and take turns as “coach” and “player.” The “coach” gives instructions while the “player” can only respond non-verbally. Reflect on how each partner felt in their role and what adjustments they would make to communicate more effectively next time. This exercise also reinforces the importance of active listening.

Remember, great communication builds trust, cohesion, and confidence within your team. Start small by incorporating these drills into your sessions, and watch as your players not only become better communicators but also more resilient and connected athletes.

💡 Question for you: What’s one form of non-verbal communication you’re going to prioritise in your next session?

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