Leadership and Life Balance
How Do I Adjust to a New Coach?
Rhema Adelaja · National Champion & 4x DUX
Give the new coach a fair start. Remember they want to help, even when the feedback feels different. Stay open to a new way of training, tell them how you work best, and arrive on time. If something is not working, use Fact, Feeling, Question.
The answer
- Remember they want to help. Constant correction from a new coach usually means they care how you compete.
- Stay open-minded. A program that feels different is not automatically a worse one. Try it before you judge it.
- Get to know them as a person. Training is easier when there is trust and respect on both sides.
- Help them get to know you or your team. Tell them, respectfully, how you work best.
- Make a good impression. Your old coach knew you well enough to give you the benefit of the doubt. A new coach is starting from zero, so be on time and ready.
- If something is still not working after a fair try, do not stay silent. Use Fact, Feeling, Question: describe what happened, say how it affected you, and ask what to do next. If you are stuck, ask someone you trust for support early.
For information only. This is general information for student-athletes, not medical, legal, financial or professional advice. Talk to a qualified professional about your own situation. Terms
Rules and amounts change. Check the official source before you act. Last checked: 29 October 2026.