Tobias Jacobi, a seasoned coach with years of experience in the realms of coaching and education, has always placed immense value on building relationships to achieve success. Under his guidance, students and colleagues alike flourish, discovering the importance of meaningful connections, growth, and accountability.
Jacobi, who is Strength and Conditioning Coach for Strong Rock Christian School in Locust Grove (Ga.), has a unique approach to fostering relationships that goes beyond the professional sphere, paving the way for open-minded collaboration and the exchange of invaluable insights. By connecting genuinely with students and parents, he lays the foundation for thriving educational programs, while simultaneously enhancing a sense of community and support.
Building Relationships With Colleagues
Cultivating relationships plays a vital role in fostering a positive and productive environment in any setting. In the context of coaching and education, nurturing relationships can create opportunities for collaboration, growth, and support. For Jacobi, cultivating relationships with his colleagues was essential for opening channels of communication and understanding.
By taking the initiative to engage with his head football coach outside of their professional environment, Jacobi was able to establish a connection that transcended their working relationship. This connection facilitated the exchange of ideas and led to a more open-minded approach.
“One day, I was trying to get him to change something and do it the way I wanted to, so I took him to lunch and I started having a conversation,” says Jacobi. “I got him out of his element, and getting him out of his element opened him up to me and we cultivated a relationship on a friendship level that probably was not very common among his staff.”
Similarly, coaches and educators can benefit from building relationships with their peers and mentors, as these connections can provide them with valuable insights, wisdom, and guidance that can help them grow and develop in their careers.
“I think finding people that you know you want to learn from, and getting outside the normal element of how they are, how you’re dealing with them, I think that’s where you will really get that wisdom from,” says Jacobi.
Cultivating Relationships With Students, Parents
Connecting with students and parents is crucial for the success of any educational program. In Jacobi’s experience, establishing a genuine connection with students goes beyond merely communicating with them. A deeper connection allows students to feel supported, understood, and valued, leading to a more positive and enriching learning environment.
Furthermore, connecting with parents is especially important in private school settings, where parent support and involvement can directly impact the success of the program. For Jacobi, fostering relationships with parents involves regular, proactive communication, addressing concerns, and demonstrating a genuine interest in the well-being of their children.
“At the high school level, you can say what you want to about getting buy-in and belief or whatever,” says Jacobi. “I hate the term buy-in. I like belief more. It’s just a pet peeve of mine. But the athletes aren’t the question. At a private school, it’s the parents. You have to get the parents to believe in you, and when you get the parents, you win. Now, public school may be different if the mom and dad aren’t really involved. Then it’s the athletes. But at the private school level, for my situation, it’s the parents.”
By building trust and belief in his approach, Jacobi creates a network of support and collaboration between coaches, students, and parents, leading to better outcomes and a stronger sense of community
Relationships Lead To Growth, Accountability
Fostering growth and accountability in students is a key responsibility of coaches and educators. According to Jacobi, showing genuine care and connecting with students can ignite a transformation in their maturity, accountability, and work ethic. As students grow and develop, it is essential for coaches and educators to acknowledge the small victories along the way, recognizing that setbacks will occur.
“That’s when the light bulb goes off. That’s when you start to see that maturity. You start to see that accountability. You start to see that work ethic,” says Jacobi. “In my world, that’s when a child starts growing into a young man, and that’s what we try and do in our program. Do we fall short? Yeah, we fall short every day. But do we have small victories every day? I think we do, and hopefully over time, those victories will outweigh those where we fall short.”
This approach encourages students to take responsibility for their actions and learn from their mistakes, ultimately helping them evolve into responsible young adults. Additionally, proactive communication with parents and students creates an atmosphere of trust and support, allowing for more open discussions about challenges and opportunities for growth.
By emphasizing the importance of growth and accountability in his program, Jacobi not only helps his students reach their potential but also establishes a culture of continuous improvement and learning that benefits everyone involved.
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