A Double-Goal Coach® cares about much more than just athletes' results. These coaches are also committed to teaching life lessons through sports. Achieving great competitive results and seeing to the development of athletes as people requires coaches to establish trust with their athletes. Trust often stems from the athlete's sense that the coach cares about the athlete as a person.

In this video, former Stanford University gymnast and coach Larissa Fontaine talks about the impact of such a coach. She explains the importance in her family of academic achievement and thus the value she placed on coaches who understood and respected her goals beyond the gym.

“Coaches have such a tremendous impact no matter what, and when it’s a one-on-one situation, that becomes even more profound,” she says “Having someone I could talk to, who cared about things besides just gymnastics, recognizing that I had other priorities (such as academics) was really important.”

Watch this video to reinforce why and how to talk to your athletes about more than just their sport. And, if you are a parent or athlete, consider how Larissa's experience can influence your decisions about which coaches you want in your lives.