Get a Coach
Put your own life mask on first!
Welcome to issue #13 of Referee Playbook. A short letter that helps sports fans understand the view of a referee.
Leader, sport coach, or referee?
Put your own life mask on first!
One of the most impactful things I’ve done this year was to enlist the support and guidance of a personal coach.
Leader, sport coach, or referee? Each of these roles invests time and effort into the development of others. Building people up.
So, at the most fundamental level:
If you can’t justify investing in your own growth and development, why should your people believe and follow you?
Don’t Play Yourself
A coach without a coach?
A leader without a mentor?
A reff without someone they call on?
Common sense says they’re missing an opportunity. A coach offers an outside lens on your challenges and goals. As leaders, coaches, and referees, we often get caught up in the day-to-day grind, making it hard to see the bigger picture.
A Good Coach:
Highlights blind spots
Challenges assumptions
Guide you toward clarity
They point out the hidden truth you’ve been ignoring, or that convenient white lie you tell yourself.
You know the one.
Introducing my Coach - Chris
This year, something clicked with a new coach I’ve started engaging with.
Her name is Chris, an Athlete Life Coach at High Performance New Zealand, an ex Blackstick and Olympian.
She’s someone I admired and worked alongside in a delivery capacity in the past, so I reached out to her. A micro investment in a chance at improving future performances as an international referee.
When you prioritise your own development, you model the importance of growth for those you lead.
My support team and mentors have noticed a shift in my approach after I started working with Chris. More clarity in my communication, better focus under pressure, more discipline in showing up as my best self.
The 1%’ers im Striving For
Engaging a coach doesn’t require a massive time or financial commitment. Even short, focused sessions can lead to breakthroughs.
My initial call with Chris was just 30 minutes, but it sparked insights that reshaped how I’m approaching my planning and training this season, leading toward the Junior World Cup in India.
These small insights compound over time, leading to breakthroughs in mental preparation and perspective.
What Chris has Helped me With
Idea and concepts we’ve explored and developed this year include:
How to section the year into periods of rest, preparation, and performance. This has been so important with two summer trips to India within 12 months, a local season, and national performances. All while having a life outside of hockey!
How to prepare mentally and progress quickly from preparation to performance mode, which is crucial in highly important first matches in test series and international tournaments.
How to shift my mindset from performing under self-inflicted pressure to being able to enjoy the big moments, separate my identity from mistakes, and ultimately perform with freedom.
My Advice - Find Your Own Chris
Take it from me - Take a punt at finding your own Chris.
It’s easy to set goals, but sticking to them is another story. A coach holds you accountable, ensuring you follow through on promises you make to yourself.
A good coach doesn’t let you off the hook - they check in on your progress, ask tough questions, and keep you focused. This accountability has been a game-changer, turning my scribbled goals into measurable planning and results.
Make a micro-investment in yourself.
Get a coach, it could change everything.
Hey, thanks for spending a small slice of your day with me. If you enjoyed this, the best compliment I could receive is you sharing it with one person.