Communication is an extremely important element of elite sports leadership. It encompasses two key elements: being able to talk to people and being able to listen to people. A leader must be able to get his or her point across to the team, organization or even to each player or team member individually.
Sounds familiar right? Surely you are thinking ‘I’ve heard this before”. And you are maybe correct. The question is not how many times have we heard this but instead how much have we really implemented it.
While physical activity in sports may not require communication, effective communication can result in a positive impact on performance and the outcome of sports.
According to Leaders of Evolution, a global Institute which specialises in leadership, “Success is only possible if all members of the organization are on the same page. Teams ought to discuss strategy and all have the same goals in mind. Without the act of communication, a team will most likely not work in unison and not succeed. Depending on the situation at hand, a team may either use verbal or nonverbal communication: both are successful and have different purposes."
Who remembers when Wayne Rooney stated that poor man-management was the reason he believed Jose Mourinho was not getting the best out of the Manchester United players in 2018? The former England striker felt that a better verbal relationship with the players could have helped the Portuguese coach.
“In my opinion, obviously being there for a year with him, he didn’t [keep players onside],” Rooney told BT Sport. And I think that was the one surprise I had, the communication with the players wasn’t as much as it could have been.
“And I think when you leave a player out of a game, sometimes, for a player, it gives a bit of freedom of the mind when the manager says I’m leaving you out for this reason or for that reason. I think the big thing with Jose was the communication with the players, and I know the players weren’t happy with him.”
If you ask any successful athlete or team member for reasons they believed things went well, of course, they tell you about physical strengths, strategy etc but they also mention the camaraderie and fighting spirit. These areas require proper and constant communication. Most if not all the members of the 2006 T&T Soca Warriors World Cup squad always speak of Leo Beenhakker's man-management skills and his approach to it - open and consistent communication.
The British Journal of Medicine investigated medical staff interpretations and descriptions of internal communication quality in elite football teams to determine whether internal communication was correlated with injuries and/or player availability at training and matches. staff from 36 elite football clubs across 17 European countries produced 77 reports at four postseason meetings to provide their perceptions of internal communications in their teams. They also recorded data on individual players’ exposure to football and time-loss injuries.
The results showed the injury burden and incidence of severe injuries were significantly higher in teams with low quality of communication between the head coach/manager and the medical team compared with teams with moderate or high-quality scores. Teams with low scores had 4%–5% lower training attendance and less availability at matches compared with teams with moderate or high communication quality scores. The conclusion was that the quality of internal communication within a team was correlated with injury rates, training attendance and match availability.
“Communication works for those who work at it,” said John Powell, motion picture composer and conductor.
When you keep the communication between each other consistent and clear, it is less likely that there will be any misunderstanding as to what the coaches want from you or where your teammates should be. Good communication can provide clarity during the chaotic and crucial points in a situation or game.
One of the major components of being a good communicator is body language. Your posture can say a lot about your attitude and where your focus is. Keep your head up, stay on your toes, and always give 100% effort each time. Like mastering new ball skills, mastering good communication skills requires effort, patience, and discipline. It’s important to remember to focus and practice these types of mental skills every day at practice just as much as physical skills.
You may be thinking “Yes I’ve heard that before.” Well, the key is now ensuring you put it into practice. Make it work for you rather than it leaving you all worked up. Remember, good communication skills are a prerequisite for professionals, in all walks of life.
Editor's Note
Shaun Fuentes is the head of TTFA Media. He is a former FIFA Media Officer at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey The views expressed are solely his and not a representation of any organisation. shaunfuentes@yahoo.com