There’s a lot that goes into being a great coach. It takes tireless patience and unwavering persistence. It requires a sense of humour, a love of the sport, and a willingness to endlessly give of your time, energy and expertise.

Not surprisingly, it can also be incredibly rewarding. A good coach has the power to turn sport into a transformative experience, teaching children discipline, instilling confidence and changing lives along the way.

Of course, to have that sort of impact, a coach has to do a lot of things well. Here are 10 of the most important things that a great coach does.  According to the ParticipACTION staff, a great coach:

SPENDS TIME ON THE BASICS

This might seem obvious, but the urge to overcomplicate things is often strong. The more time spent working on the basics the better. “One of the best basketball coaches I’ve ever had rarely let us play with the ball,” says Rebecca. “Instead he focused on breaking the game down, making it easy to concentrate on the fundamentals, like footwork and body positioning.” A devotion to mastering the basics always pays off in the end.

SETS HIGH STANDARDS

Aura points out that setting high standards is of crucial importance. “It helps build trust and emphasizes hard work.” By setting a high standard from day one, a coach lets everyone know what’s expected and gives them something to strive for.

FOCUSES ON IMPROVING ONE THING AT A TIME

Aura also recommends working on one thing at a time as a useful strategy to incrementally improve. When learning a new sport or technique, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the different things. Where to put your hands. How to move your feet. Why you should look at the man and not the ball. Rather than try to fix every little mistake at once, a good coach focuses on improving one small thing at a time.

ADAPTS THEIR COACHING STYLE TO INDIVIDUALS

This is a tip that just about everyone in the office agrees on. Different people are motivated by different things, have different skill levels, and respond to coaching in different ways. It’s important to try to accommodate these differences whenever possible. A good coach spends time getting to know people and what matters to them. A one-size-fits-all approach rarely suits everyone.

CARES ABOUT MORE THAN JUST THE GAME

One trait that many of our favourite coaches have in common is that they cared about our lives. It’s nice when you feel that your coach cares about your wellbeing, your interests and how you’re doing at school. It’s motivating. A caring coach gets more out of their players.

USES POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT

Katherine advises using positive reinforcement instead of handing out punishments for making mistakes. “Punishments make you nervous, and people rarely play their best when they’re nervous.” Good coaches know how to harness the power of positivity to instil confidence in their players and empower them to play their best.

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FINDS THE LINE BETWEEN BEING COMPETITIVE BUT ALSO LAID BACK

When we think of good coaches, toughness is something that often comes to mind. A tough coach can get more out of their players because they don’t let them give up too soon. Ali warns, however, “that a good coach also knows when to hold back.” A good coach knows where the line is and recognizes when to let up and be more understanding.

EMPHASIZES HARD WORK, NOT TALENT

This is another great tip from Aura, who says that “hard work is what it’s all about. Just practice.” A good coach takes this advice to heart and knows that motivating their team to work hard is the key to success. Not everyone will be super talented from day one, but with hard work, everyone gets better. Making that happen is what great coaches do.

SAYS THE RIGHT THING, AT THE RIGHT TIME

“The game was tied, time was running out, and I had one free throw left to take. Sweat was dripping down my face. My stomach was turning with nerves. You could cut the tension with a knife. And that’s when I looked over to the sideline and saw my coach mouth the words ‘Don’t think. Just shoot.’ So that’s what I did. I took the shot, drained it and the crowd went wild. Still my best basketball memory to this day.” This classic Rebecca story is really all that needs to be said. When the pressure is on, a good coach just has a knack for knowing what to say.

ENCOURAGES YOU TO BE YOURSELF

At first glance, you might wonder how being yourself is related to playing a sport well. Yet, when many members of the ParticipACTION look back on their past coaches, they remember the coach that encouraged them to be themselves. “A good coach sets an example, teaches you to not care about what people think, and to do just do what makes you happy,” says Justin.

At the end of the day, coaching is about more than just winning or teaching people how to play a sport. It’s about preparing them to be successful in all aspects of life. To be disciplined and hard working. To set high standards and work toward them day-by-day. And to be themselves. That’s how you succeed in sport and in life. And that’s something every great coach knows.