by Stuart Dillingham
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10 Mar, 2021
When I speak with athletes one of the biggest reasons why they don’t invest in a coach is cost. This is something I can relate to. When times are difficult the luxury of a coach is one of the very first things to go or be discarded. The question is, does a coach have to be a luxury. To start with it is important to understand the costs of a coach. It is easy to think that coaching is easy, an hour session at the track 1 on 1 is actually more like 3 hours for the coach, there is the prep work and planning travel time and the actual time with you, before you start adding in any costs such as fuel, petrol, insurances and anything else you can think off. So that £20 for a 1 on 1 session doesn’t actually go far and possibly works out well below the national living wage hourly rate. So with that in mind, why does a coach actually coach, as it certainly isn’t for the money. Well for me it is seeing the athlete get better, beat the barriers in their way and improve, seeing that development is a massive reward to me. This itself is satisfying and rewarding. So how does a coach actually make a living? Well this is where some are far more successful. I’m sure you have seen the big brand coaching companies and these look great to join and offer a great service and the more popular they become the more they can charge and be selective on who can afford and they want. Then when it comes to awards, who is going to win it is likely to be the large company not the small independent coach or club coach that does this for nothing, so again with the recognition comes exposure and then more demand. So with these big coaching companies charging a lot of money monthly or per session it is clear to see why people think they cannot afford a coach. The big conception is that the coach with the big website and client list is better placed to coach you, and yes this may be the case, if what they are offering is right for you. Most are only qualified to the same standard as the smaller independent coach, do they have more experience? Possibly but most smaller coaches have a long history coaching and especially in clubs and voluntarily. In conclusion, you may not need to go to the big coaching company, or the online plans, an independent coach can offer you that and give you a better more personal service and tailor plan directly for your needs rather than meeting the needs of a business plan and all for a much smaller fee. So the cost of a coach does not need to make a second mortgage or selling a kidney. If a coach is what you are after then contact a few see what is on offer and be open with what you want and can afford. Taking the time to ask questions and get to know the coach will create a great relationship to start the journey, and maybe save some pennies toward that new wetsuit or bike. Good luck in your search for a coach.