pcll99
Regular Member
Wow, if that conversation did indeed happen like this, that's a masterpiece of poor coaching.
XXZ has no experience coaching girls.
Wow, if that conversation did indeed happen like this, that's a masterpiece of poor coaching.
But he has been a positive influence, motivating and inspiring the CHN WS at the last two tournaments prior to the WC with good results to show for. Inexperience, maybe, but not negative at all.XXZ has no experience coaching girls.
To confront an athlete with reproaches at a very critical and deciding moment in an ongoing match is nothing but bad coaching, period. Ever tried starting a similar discussion with a doubles partner that is going through a bad phase and has just messed up some shots? Good luck with that!I won't say that, XXZ's patience must be tested , that's probably not the first time HBJ has pushed the limit for XXZ and Zhang Ning as well as other coaches, all of whom must have been sincerely trying their best in heart-to-heart talks, pep talks, whatever.
I would say it's an accumulated thing, the coaches, esp Zhang Ning and Xia Xuanze, really meant well and are anxious to help her succeed.
Remember, in the 2nd set with Marin, He Bingjiao felled and nearly injured herself, was seen holding to her knees in pain for a while, and XXZ appeared extremely worried, his face showing distress. Also in the run-up to the Uber Cup, she was also injured and had to rest for two weeks, which affected her performance then. It can be pretty stressful for the coach , you know.
Anyway, after that incident above, at the post-match conference,He Bingjiao looked to be in good mood, according to the author of the article I posted. Apparently, she and XXZ have gotten over it.
Normally, I'd fully agree with you as I've expressed similar views before about never telling your players off publicly during a match.To confront an athlete with reproaches at a very critical and deciding moment in an ongoing match is nothing but bad coaching, period. Ever tried starting a similar discussion with a doubles partner that is going through a bad phase and has just messed up some shots? Good luck with that!
Good coaching is to give positive guidance and motivation to the athlete, knowing and respecting the mentality of each individual. HBJ is clearly not what one would call a big fighter when things become hard and difficult (to say the least) - so either this was the final desperate attempt to provoke a defiance reaction, or he already knew what is going to happen and got carried away by his own frustration.
Even if all these assumptions and scenarios were true, it doesn't change the fact the he messed up in that specific moment. He's supposedly one of the best coaches on the planet - he just must remain professional and control his own frustration. You cannot change a person's mindset during what was most likely the most important match of her career so far.Normally, I'd fully agree with you as I've expressed similar views before about never telling your players off publicly during a match.
But I'm trying to understand the context of what happened in this particular case, not see it in isolation and consider the background of what might have led to the outburst. Then, I can understand why, XXZ , being human, reacted in the way he did to his disciple whom he has always taken good care of and been doing his very best to groom and nurture for career success. That's my perspective.
In a normal condition where only the match is important, I would agreeTo confront an athlete with reproaches at a very critical and deciding moment in an ongoing match is nothing but bad coaching, period. Ever tried starting a similar discussion with a doubles partner that is going through a bad phase and has just messed up some shots? Good luck with that!
Good coaching is to give positive guidance and motivation to the athlete, knowing and respecting the mentality of each individual. HBJ is clearly not what one would call a big fighter when things become hard and difficult (to say the least) - so either this was the final desperate attempt to provoke a defiance reaction, or he already knew what is going to happen and got carried away by his own frustration.
I've already said I'd very much want to agree with you but I make an exception for XXZ this time, because I believe there's more to it than meets the eye, I repeat, it's cumulative effect.Even if all these assumptions and scenarios were true, it doesn't change the fact the he messed up in that specific moment. He's supposedly one of the best coaches on the planet - he just must remain professional and control his own frustration. You cannot change a person's mindset during what was most likely the most important match of her career so far.
Have you ever done any sports on any sort of competitive level? Believe me, the last thing you need when you already feel that a crucial match is slipping through your hands and you don't find anything left in your armoury is someone shooting accusations at you. That's the final nail to the coffin.
I'm a bit more sympathetic to your view. HBJ had some time ago admitted, shyly, in answer to some reporters questions that the coaching team has been talking to her, heart to heart, pep talks, showing her a lot of concern and encouragement, and in response she promised she would change (no details given).This is blown way over proportion. HBJ has the tendency to sulk over tough stretches. In the previous game when she lost 2nd set badly to TTY, she also complained something to XXZ (either court or shuttle). In that case XXZ was mainly consoling her, but still didn’t get any response from HBJ. So, XXZ could have said something more positive, but I seriously doubt it would make any difference. It was totally up to HBJ to get out of her funk (she did find a way in the TTY match).
It feels like you are mixing up who plays the lead and who is the side character in that situation. During a match, it's the player that is having the full priority. The coaches' only role in that moment is to give support and advice to guide the athlete to get them to play their best. Their own feelings and frustrations are irrelevant in those moments. XXZ simply lost his self control there - and even if it's understandable for everybody with a working common sense, it doesn't change the fact that it was a mistake. Nobody's perfect and this surely doesn't make XXZ a bad coach per se so there is no real need trying to justify that minor issue to that extent.Are you aware of how the players performance during competition, esp crucial matches or stage, affect the coaches? They, XXZ and ZN, esp, have both openly admitted, are so psychologically invested and personally involved with their charges that they suffer the whole gamut of emotions while sitting there watching the entire proceedings.
Even if that kind of what-if game doesn't make any sense whatsoever, I am sure that Lai Chien-Cheng still would never confront her in this manner.Let me put it this way but please don't take it personally - imagine the WC was held in Taipei and if TTY were to blame her home crowd noise for affecting her game with HBJ and caused her to lose the match , what do you think ?
Good point, it may turn out to be a good thing in the long run for HBJ if she realized that it's best not to allow whatever the crowd does, as she has no control over them, esp overseas, affect her too much but to simply concentrate on her own game and be totally focused while oblivious to everything else.In a normal condition where only the match is important, I would agree
But I extremely wonder whether that this will actually be a good thing for He Bingjiao in the future
For instance, maybe she just realized to not be distracted in any condition during a match, thus toughening up her mental games
In sports, what's considered usually is more than that single match, of course some cost-benefit is done in this matter
If HBJ mental games increased in the future, we can actually say that this is a good coaching
XXZ acts at the right time for the better result in the long term
Of course he might even not know this, but managerial (especially in sport) is such a complex matter where some momentum can be gained or loss at certain moment. So I still include some of the action, even though not deliberately, as part of the manager's skill and ability
OK, OK, Xia Xuanze lost his cool, went overboard, no matter what happened before, he should restrain himself and put on a smiling face, continue to encourage her as he has been doing all along as seen on TV in previous matches, not only with HBJ but other of his charges too.It feels like you are mixing up who plays the lead and who is the side character in that situation. During a match, it's the player that is having the full priority. The coaches' only role in that moment is to give support and advice to guide the athlete to get them to play their best. Their own feelings and frustrations are irrelevant in those moments. XXZ simply lost his self control there - and even if it's understandable for everybody with a working common sense, it doesn't change the fact that it was a mistake. Nobody's perfect and this surely doesn't make XXZ a bad coach per se so there is no real need trying to justify that minor issue to that an extent.
I don't expect that this has any major effect on their general chemistry though. They know each other long enough during good and not so good times to know how to cope with these situations.
Even if that kind of what-if game doesn't make any sense whatsoever, I am sure that Lai Chien-Cheng still would never confront her in this manner.
It could have been anything or everything and she just wanted to talk it out to let all the distress out of her mind. It can actually help rather than keeping it built up in her. But the problem was: the camera was there, it was live and everyone would have heard what she said and unfortunately to her coach's dismay, she blurted out "crowd being noisy". What would a coach do? Maybe that was his concern all the time.HBJ definitely has to learn to not let little things bother her game. Home crowd too supportive? Opponent crowd too harsh? Flash go off in the crowd? Insect flying around? She has to learn to ignore all distractions and just focus on the shuttle.
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Exactly. Well said. That's the hallmark of a true professional, a top player.HBJ definitely has to learn to not let little things bother her game. Home crowd too supportive? Opponent crowd too harsh? Flash go off in the crowd? Insect flying around? She has to learn to ignore all distractions and just focus on the shuttle.
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