There are coaching types and there are coaching styles, they are two different concepts of coaching which can get confused as the same thing. We will take a look at coaching styles in more depth to help understand what different styles there are and what they mean.

Coaching types represent what kind of coach you are, for example, a skill base coach, a physical coach, or a multi-role coach, whereas coaching styles looks at the approach you utilise as a coach. The style you choose to use can change within a session depending upon what you’re doing, so having the ability to apply all types of coaching styles is a great advantage for a coach because it can lead to a wider variation within training sessions and promote positive outcomes like the development of athlete responsibility.

There can be many factors that affect the coaching style that you choose to use. Sometimes these factors are dictated to you by the job you’re doing, but most of the time it is down to the individual coach to decide what style to use.

There are three main coaching styles: Autocratic, Democratic and Laissez-Faire. The main differences between these three styles can be seen in their delivery where coaches use and apply different forms of communication. This can change depending upon the population that is being coached and the various environmental factors that can affect a coach’s choice of style, possible due to health and safety.

Below we have a definition for each and its application:

Autocratic – where you take on an authoritative approach where the coach instructs or shows the athlete how they want something done and expect that athlete to follow those instructions. This coach is always in control with little to no feedback from the athlete.

Democratic – the coach involvement is shared, the decision-making process is done with the athlete. This coach will guide an athlete towards selecting and achieving their goals. Positive reinforcement and guidance are a key element of this style.

Laissez-Faire – this coach makes few decisions allowing the players to learn on their own. There are little organised attempts to influence or teach. Here the players take ownership of their learning and make their own decisions.

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