This weeks episode features Erkka Westerlund, former Head Coach of the Finnish Men's National Team as well as coaching in Liiga and the KHL. It was an honor to talk with Erkka today about athlete centered coaching and how it differs from coach centered coaching. We also talked with Erkka about why he switched to athlete centered coaching, the benefits this approach has for the athletes and the importance of developing good coach-athlete relationships. Within these topics we talk about athlete development plans, mental resources and when it is still appropriate to use a coach centered approach.
Erkka provides a lot of ideas in the episode and it is well worth the listen! Erkka also has a book called Elämän peliä (The Game of Life) available only in Finnish, however, it is worth the read as it provides great insights into Erkka's experiences and knowledge.
Don't forget to connect with the show on social media (@thecoachsroad) and with the hosts (@DerekERead, @RickSchreiber68). As always, send us an email at thecoachsroad@gmail.com.
Thanks for listening and enjoy the episode!
