I thought I would share an evaluation I have used for many years with teams. It’s one of the most effective tools I have used to get a better understanding of each player, the team and my relationship with the team. It’s also a great way to encourage thought and communication. I typically use it half way through the season.
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Evaluation
- List 5 things you feel you need to work on as an individual
- List 5 things you feel the team needs to work on
- What are your two biggest strengths as a player/teammate
- What are your two biggest weaknesses as a player/teammate
- How would you evaluate the season so far personally?
- How would you evaluate the season so far from the teams perspective
- List 5 things you feel I need to work on as a coach
- How would you evaluate the job I have done so far as a coach?
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The key to this type of evaluation is to get the players to take it seriously. If they feel you are going to ignore their response they will then give you the answer they think you want.
I allow the players to hand in their answers anonymously so the main purpose of some of these questions/answers is to make them think. I do try to look for patterns to see what many feel they need to work on and will also offer extra individual training to allow them to work on some of the things they feel they need to work on.
Questions 7 and 8 allowed to really grow over the years as a coach because occasionally I read something that I wasn’t aware of but when I look into the points brought up, I realize they are right.
It’s important to be able to figure out which answers to take seriously and which to ignore because the players have ulterior motives. However, when I have looked at the answers with an open mind, it’s surprising how perceptive players can be about themselves and about me.
While I don’t try to figure out who wrote what, between certain players coming to me to talk further about some of their comments and others choosing to receive some extra training to work on, it’s not difficult to know who wrote what. If you can figure it out and then hold some of their comments against them (they were “mean” in their evaluation of you so you limit their playing time or something similar) you are better off not using this type of evaluation. If you can use this (or something similar) with an open mind, it will make you a better coach (and maybe even a better person
Lawrence
