Work Smarter, Not Harder
Hello ropers! Great to be back writing the second article! I hope everyone had a chance to read and try what was talked about in […]
College Rodeo Coaches
Written by: C.J. Aragon
< Back to Articlesarticle by C.J. Aragon,
Odessa College Rodeo Coach
College Rodeo Coaches are a small fraternity that I am proud to be a part of. There are not very many college rodeo coaches around the country and they do not get the recognition or pay that their counterparts in sports like basketball and football do. However just because we aren’t paid on the same level as many other college coaches it is by no means an indicator of our passion for the sport of rodeo.
I know many great college rodeo coaches across the country, these coaches run programs from small community colleges to major universities. Although the students may only be influenced by their coach for one to four years the impact can last much longer than that. All of the coaches I respect want to see their students be successful in the arena and in life.
There are a few things I think many of our students need to realize about college rodeo coaches and coaches in general.
If you are in our program, we want you to do well. When we recruited you to our program we saw potential based on your past performances. You obviously saw value in the program as well or you wouldn’t have made the choice to join the program. There will be ups and downs along the way but your coach will always be in your corner and looks forward to seeing you do well.
What many students need to realize about coaches is that we have watched many students be successful and some fail. We can help with from our past experiences. We have in a sense been there, done that.
Just because you had success at the high school level does not guarantee that you will be successful on the college or professional level. In my experience I have watched former High School National Champions have limited success on the college and professional level, I have also witnessed students who never qualified for the High School National Finals Rodeo have tremendous success at the college and professional level. Their achievements had to do with their coachability and their ability to communicate with their coach.
Which brings us right back around to college rodeo coaches. Your rodeo coach can offer you suggestions on what skills you need to improve on. Your coach can give you feedback on what they see you do in competition and in the practice pen. They offer tips and training exercises for you to work on. Coaches can give you structure to your practices and workouts. You will not always like what your coach has to say. You may not always like what your coach has you do, but rest assured that your coach is working help you achieve your goals.
Coaches can do a lot for you, they can be a great resource if you choose to use them.
The most successful and most improved students in any sports programs are the ones who take the small bits coaches offer and apply them daily. Be Coachable!
C.J. Aragon is the Rodeo Coach at Odessa College and has a Master’s Degree in Coaching Education. He has been an invited speaker to the Global Coaches Seminar at Ohio University working with coaches in all sports from around the country.
Related Posts
Big Picture Listening
One of the most important qualities of a great athlete is the ability to listen. It is a very difficult skill to learn, but one […]
Fashion is only External, Character is Eternal
article and photos by Kacee Willbanks Your image is what you put out there, your character is who you really are inside, and clarity […]
