Similar to coaches, musical composers train musicians from early childhood. They encourage musicians to develop good practice habits and performance values. Musicians travel all over the world to learn from the greats and parents pay for young musicians to take part in fine summer programs. Then, musicians are thrown into a whirlpool of competitions, from which we expect these young musicians to perform great works that call upon demonstrate warmth, playfulness, generosity, reverence, and sensitivity.
However, famous educator and composer of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Benjamin Zander says, “It is dangerous to have our musicians so obsessed with competition, because they will find it difficult to take the necessary risks for themselves to be great performers.”
Like young musicians, young athletes are too performers. Similar to musicians, it is only when athletes make mistakes in performance, do we really get to notice what needs attention.
Now, what if coaches started to look at these negative experience or mistakes as opportunities. Instead of projecting negative energy towards these mistakes, you as a coach reflect humor, generosity, or positivity. Better yet, use these mistakes as possibilities for discovering ways to express oneself in new and creative ways.
Creating an environment where young athletes can make mistakes freely and develop new positive habits is the opposite of dangerous. It’s constructive, positive, impactful, and beneficial. It will give young athletes the confidence to perform at a high level with joy, playfulness, generosity, reverence, and energy. I’d like to see more performances like this, I’d love to see more coaches work with their students like Ben Zander does.
