It is widely accepted that much can be done to empower and educate trainees so that they can make a more informed and considered decision when it comes to choosing their coach.

The decision to select a coach is a decision to invest valuable information on our part in order to fulfill our aspirations.

We invest effort, sweat, pain and time in order to receive something far more important. To reap the rewards of our advancement from our present biological and psychological state. For most people the pursuit is the optimal return on that effort.

The criteria for the selection of the coach, when satisfied, should therefore lead to the achievement of the goal set by the trainee-athlete.

Consequently, we must look at the qualifications that the coach must meet. Some of these are independent of the athlete’s temperament and some are directly related to the athlete’s psychological characteristics.

The qualifications of the coach which are the foundation of his/her existence and are independent of the athlete’s temperament are the following:

• The scientific training of the coach.Sport science includes training science and is the basis on which coaching practice must be based. It expresses in a rational, and verifiable way the annual, weekly, and daily training planning. It ensures to the greatest possible extent the health of the athlete and the protection against injury. Scientific training is certified by the possession of a university degree and possibly a postgraduate degree. It is enriched by seminars organized by universities and other scientific bodies such as various scientific societies (e.g., the Society for Biochemistry and Exercise Physiology). By participating in scientific conferences organized by these institutions and joining national and international scientific bodies (e.g., ACSM). Also, coaches with a scientific background may identify issues that have not been resolved by the scientific community concerning exercise physiology , or even the competitive effort, by participating themselves in scientific research studies.

• The coaching experience . The coach’s experience is of great importance when he has repeatedly produced the desired results, from many athletes – trainees and at a level at least equivalent to that of the trainee, who is in the process of looking for a coach. The skills developed during the years of involvement in the sport concerned, which relate to the management of practical problems that arise, demonstrate the level of the coach.

However, the central pillar on which the coaching approach is based, can only be individualized.

The match in psychology and the communication between coach and athlete. At this point, several important issues emerge.

• Different athletes have different levels of understanding of issues related to the coaching process.
• The coach is often unable to understand in depth what is important to the trainee.
• While objective factors play an important role, issues concerning the interpersonal relationship arise. The key ones are trust, the ‘chemistry’ between the two as well as encouragement (Jones C. 2015).
• If the athlete-trainee does not value the personal relationship between them with the same values as the coach, then the relationship will not thrive. E.g., the coach may place the processing of scientific data and its rational management as the foundation of their contribution, while the trainee places this as the last priority, and prioritizes the coach’s positive attitude and encouragement first and foremost.
• Many trainee-athletes report that ‘this coach suits me’ or ‘I can’t get along with this coach’. Some coaches motivate athletes in a certain way and some athletes perform best with a different way of motivation.

Of course, mature trainee-athletes who are internally motivated can work regardless of the coach’s temperament. However, in the case of young athletes, or some newcomers to the field of exercise, in their eyes, the coach plays the role of inspirer, mentor (Seth E. & Hushman G. 2015) and possibly the role model athlete. These characteristics are sufficient in themselves only in cases of practitioners who approach sports primarily as recreation and cease to play a crucial role when the practitioner seeks maximum results for the time, effort, and whatever other sacrifices they invest in their coaching effort.

Currently, the need to trust the “Experts” in the management of various issues is clearly demonstrated. Thus, it is imperative that we entrust our body, our health, our sweat, our effort, and our sacrifices to people who have the specialized scientific knowledge and, in general, the qualifications to fulfill the maximum of our aspirations. Yours in sport

• Jones, CW (2015) Choosing your Coach: What Matters and When. An Interpretative Phenomenological Exploration of the voice of the Coachee. PhD, Oxford Brookes University.
• Seth E. & Hushman G. (2015) .A case study of a successful men’s NCAA division I cross country coach: Essential elements and components of a humanistic approach. Journal of Contemporary Athletics ISSN: 1554-9933 Volume 8, Issue 3