In the intricate dance of athletic performance coaching, trust is the silent music that produces order from chaos. It’s the invisible thread that weaves through the coach-athlete relationship, binding them in a mutual pursuit of excellence.
In our digital age, where technology can impact training as much as technique, software like TeamBuildr has emerged as a cornerstone in fostering this essential trust.
Scott Pherson, Fitness & Performance Director for Concord (Ind.) High School, understands the gravity of trust in his role.
“It’s so hard to earn trust, especially with teenagers,” he says. “Teenagers are extremely guarded, as they should be, because there’s evil out there, and I get that. But I’ve got 500 kids right now that 100% trust TeamBuildr.”
The journey of trust with technology begins with that technology’s ability to prove itself credible. Pherson recounts an incident with a young athlete who doubted her training program on TeamBuildr, explaining to him that her TeamBuildr was wrong because it was telling her to complete four reps at 30 pounds over her existing max.
This crossroads of skepticism became an inflection point in that athlete’s journey, and is often necessary, to show student-athletes they can push beyond what they thought was possible while also reinforcing an athlete’s trust in the system.
“If TeamBuildr says you can do it, you can do it,” Pherson assured her.
This wasn’t blind faith; it was Pherson’s trust in a system backed by science and mathematics. He just needed her to see it that way.
“I was like, the algorithm’s there,” he says. “By all means, when you go to warm up, if you’re not feeling it, talk to me. We’ll adjust; we’re not going to hurt ourselves.”
In that instance, Pherson’s athlete trusted her coach, trusted TeamBuildr and trusted herself. The result? The young athlete exceeded her own expectations and set a new standard for herself.
“She goes in there and sure enough, bang, bang, bang, she knocks them out,” says Pherson. “She’s just like, ‘That was more than my max,’ and I said, ‘Not your max no more!'”
It was a simple yet powerful affirmation of her growth. This experience transcends physical achievement; it’s a psychological W in her personal record book. The athlete’s newfound confidence and immediate trust in TeamBuildr, herself and her coach are only expanded. She now believes that if the app says she can do it, then she can do it.
This is largely because TeamBuildr isn’t just producing a set of cold calculations; it’s software that understands exceeding potential better than human bias might allow.
“It’s really cool because you give them the confidence,” says Pherson, highlighting the influence this technology wields on the coach’s behalf. “It’s not just you believing in the athlete; you can say, ‘This is science. This is math. Numbers don’t lie.'”
This objectivity is crucial, because it eradicates personal doubt and replaces it with data-driven certainty and cultivates essential faith in oneself. Pherson emphasizes the importance of communication and adjustment, ensuring that while the software sets the bar, the coach and athlete work in tandem to reach it safely. This balance between technology and human interaction is the sweet spot for cultivating trust.
“TeamBuildr makes it easier to create that impact and get the kids to trust me and believe in the vision of discipline over motivation, trusting the process, doing your job, work wins, all that stuff,” says Pherson. “TeamBuildr helps build that trust that we need, and it has really put us on a great path.”
Details
Whether you are programming phys ed, weights classes, or sport-specific workouts, students and athletes can input workout data via their mobile devices or by using our weight room view tablet feature. This feature allows 4-8 athletes to receive their individualized workouts, including prescribed loads and intensities, using tablets in the weight room. Our reporting features help coaches view student progress over time, identify strengths and weaknesses, and visualize the effectiveness of the strength and conditioning program.
