The Importance of Communication Styles for Female Players and Coaches

We have all had our fair share of coaches and teammates. Some are loud and energetic, while others are soft-spoken and gentle. Some are relatable, and then there are some who completely lack emotional intelligence.

As the player, learning how to approach certain communication styles will help create a better relationship with your coach and teammates. With that said, it’s also crucial for coaches to adapt to their players’ personalities and communication styles.

Communication is unique and looks different for every individual. Acknowledging and understanding the different types can help build a better overall player-coach dynamic. Styles of communication vary from passive, aggressive, passive-aggressive, and assertive. 

This is especially important for girls and women’s soccer since our communication styles are often misunderstood or not understood at all, making effective communication on a team much more difficult.  

Passive 

Individuals who display passive tendencies will often follow others and repress their thoughts and feelings. For example, Socceristas who are passive will follow the pack and rarely make themselves the center of attention.

They are easy to get along with and will always “go with the flow” of things as a player. However, if a coach is working with a passive player, they need to realize that the player is less likely to speak up if something is bothering them.

Additionally, they will stay quiet when they are getting critiqued, but this isn’t to say they aren’t listening or learning. If a coach is passive, they will be easygoing and let the team dictate many of the decisions.

Passive communicators in girls’ soccer might seem like they don’t care, but this isn’t true. Overall, it would be beneficial to take a direct approach in conversations and ask for their opinions to improve communication.

Aggressive

Aggressive communicators have a strong presence. They are often loud, demanding, and dominating as a player or coach. If both the coach and a player show aggressive communication tendencies, issues may arise.

Two strong-headed individuals might clash on opinions, resulting in the “I’m right, you’re wrong” attitude. When working with an aggressive communicator, it’s necessary to remain calm but assertive. Keep the conversation professional and know when to walk away to avoid further problems. 

Additionally, this is a problematic situation in girls’ and women’s soccer when a coach has an aggressive communication style. The stereotype that women naturally communicate more passively and men naturally communicate more aggressively can feed into an unhealthy player to coach relationship.

It could lead to a coach communicating inappropriately to players. Therefore, it’s important to recognize when a coach is an aggressive communicator and when the coach takes it too far.

Passive-aggressive

The communication style of passive-aggressive is a combination of both stated above. On the surface, the individual may seem passive, but they express their true feelings indirectly and subtly.

This can be seen as muttering comments, using sarcasm, giving the silent treatment, or having a happy face when clearly upset. When dealing with a passive-aggressive player or coach, it can be helpful to make explicit requests, confront negative behaviors, and aim for one-on-one conversations. 

On a girl’s soccer team, passive-aggressive teammates can lead to feeling isolated or ostracized from other players since they tend to hide their true feelings. This is another thing to watch out for, especially when a team has cliques or team chemistry issues.

Understanding this type of communication to better communicate with these teammates can help form better friendships and bonds.

Assertive 

Assertive communication is frequently seen as the most effective form of communication since they can express their desires without being overbearing or rude.

Many assertive communicators are in leadership positions because of their ability to appeal to people. They can share their ideas while remaining respectful and polite.

People with these qualities would be great coaches and team captains. When communicating with them, encourage them to continue speaking their mind, and hopefully, it can create a healthy team environment.

If you are a passive communicator, practice being more assertive by voicing your opinion or asking questions more often. On the other hand, if you are an aggressive communicator, try to focus on not being overbearing when you communicate.

And if you are a passive-aggressive communicator, try to recognize if your behavior might harm other teammates and communicate your feelings outright.

Featured image via Adobe Stock Images

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