2012 coaching results review

The last few years have been very interesting. Not many people can say they do a job they love. 

My job is a lifestyle, not something you leave behind you when you go home. Many can argue it’s not healthy but if I had a normal 9 to 5 job, I would probably go coaching anyway after work.

The last few years have been great and looking at 2011 and 2012 back now it is time to sit down and review what happened, where are we going from there and how realistic my expectations are.

I hear people saying I have been lucky with my coaching career, I used to believe them. The truth now that I am older is that there is no way I could have been lucky for 14 years with international results in 3 different sports.

I replied sometimes, if I am so lucky I definitely should keep going as luck is part of the game. I am not the most talented coach around, but I am for sure one of the hardest worker and that’s good enough to motivate my athletes and keep them on their toes.

Yes some years are better than other ones, as the human factor has a massive impact on the training or even the creation of each program. With about 500 weekly Ranging from 7 to over 60 years old, from leaning skills to international athletes, the attention to detail is the same.

I am extremely proud of my athletes they all work as much as they can with what they have or can do. Not everybody will make it, but they have the same opportunity to be the best they can be for themselves. I see every day pushy parents, bully coaches, who try to find any excuses to blame someone else for their mistakes or failure. Athletes are responsible for their performance, but if they do everything their coach asks, then yes I don’t mind to take the blame.

Barbara winning Donadea 10k, will later finish 9th at the Dublin City International Marathon and 2nd Female at the Irish Championship.Also 3rd at the Irish half Marathon championship.

One of the sentences I like using as well is “there are lots of people who think they know, but only a few who actually know”. Knowing our personal limitation is important. I don’t know everything and can’t remember half of my many years of studying sports sciences or medicine, but when I don’t know I am trying my very best to find out and sit down again to study it again and again. For some people it’s just easier, unfortunately not for me, but at least I am not hiding it.

European Junior Championship 2012 8th place and Sarah will finish 12th in European senior Championship 2012.

My main strength is also my weakness I suppose. I do care too much about my athletes and would coach everybody if I could whatever their level and goals. I just believe coaching should be affordable and easy accessible in a friendly environment.

You all know my strong position on bullies, such as parents or coaches as I have been a victim of them, and learned now to stand up for myself in the last few years. Parents want their children to be champion and don’t understand most of the time that there are many factors affecting into this. The same way some coaches coach by fear to get results and over trained young athletes.

James Doran had a great season, 8th at the Boddington 50k, winning Kerry Senior Cross country and winning a few 5k & 10k's with Personal Best. (Picture from Portumna Marathon 2012, 2nd place) Photo by Peter Mooney

I have been asked many times why 16 to 18 years old stop training in Ireland. I believe we don’t keep them happy long enough. We are too demanding and put pressure on them to succeed at young age. That’s easy to do and easy to boss them around and push them has hard as we can. But when they realise there is a very different life out there, parties, friends and discover love they just wonder what they are missing instead of training. This is where the coach is important, understanding that transition time and not blaming them for discovering life and encourage them to keep training while doing other social activities will help you to keep senior athletes. The same way if you coach young athletes by fear, when they mature they don’t really want to be treated like a child or been giving out or bossed around. They need to be listened and respected as equal.

Comans SC Senior team, at the Irish National Long Course Championship & Olympic Trial 2012. With Coach Seb, Sarah, Olivia and Saoirse.

Coaching is not bossing people around, but an equal partnership between an athlete and the coach, and many coaches missed that point. It’s not about what the coach want the athlete to achieve, but for the coach to help the athlete to achieve is goal.

To go back to my last two years and even more, I would think I have been quiet successful. But it does not mean I should just be happy with it. In my business coaches seems to judge you not about your international pedigree or Olympians you worked with, but on “have you train a Olympic medallist?” is the one coaches compete with.

Well, I did not yet, but obviously do intend to do it. I said in the past coaching Olympians is not the most difficult, and sometimes if your name is out there good athletes want to join your program. But Coaching an athlete from a young age and bring them up to the top is the ultimate goal. The cherry on the top of the cream is when you do it twice or more or even in different sports which become more exceptional.

Portumna Forest Marathon has also been one of successful story along with runireland.com. I have been very lucky to have great partners with Angela Geraghty, Ray O’Connor and Aisling Murray brought me more than any friends could expect. My own club, Athenry Ac and especially Mick Rice, Ian Shaw and James London have been great supporter in difficult time with my event.

Pulse Triathlon Club has also been extremely kind to me, especially with my recurring health issues. I miss them for the last few months and can’t wait to see all the crew. Certainly the best Tri club in the country.

Kim Hickey 9th at the Triathlon Ireland National Series, Carrick on Suir Triathlon winner.

I also had some great coaches, colleagues working with me every day, in Claremorris, Roscommon and Galway, Limerick or Dublin. Mike Moran has been a major player in supporting my program, along with the Claremorris and Blue Fin crew. Without their constant support, I am not sure if I would still be there. We always forgot about committee workers, volunteers. We know they are there, but we don’t reward them enough. I think we should.

The sporting community is 99% sound with genuine peopled of course the 1% of always unhappy people who are just complaining about everything whatever you do. I have seen volunteers been abused at events, yes they don’t know everything and no they should not know everything. They are not slaves, they are kind people helping doing the best they can that’s all.

My view on very unhappy people is that they are usually people who just are bored, blame the world for everything happening to them, and feel people are stilling their ideas. Most of them are just jealous and usually believe they own everything, from a club to a sport event, or even athletes. They always fail at the end because their heart is in the wrong place and are usually just unhappy people and feel everybody is more successful than them. I do feel sorry for them and it’s just better to ignore them as they will always find a way to come at you!

This year I had Karena Stannett joining the “sportsireland.ie team”. She has been a wonder in solving issues, and developing the company, and wishes to say a big thank you.

Sebastien Locteau

First Published on runireland.com on the 01/01/2013 and updated on the 26/09/17 (pictures and text)