Writing Instructors as Coaches

In high school, I played competitive volleyball and trained as a gymnast. During that time, I had many different coaches. Coaches who swore, coaches who cried, coaches who got red in the face with anger and frustration, and coaches who were as close as family.

One particular volleyball coach—I’ll call him Ed—got so riled up at games that he often was thrown out. We were left to fend for ourselves the rest of the match. He yelled at his players, the referees, and sometimes even the opposing team. Afterward, with a sheepish shrug, he returned to the mellow guy he was in real life. But when we were playing, it was hard to move past the negativity that Ed brought to the gym. We ended up losing most of our games.

My gymnastics coach—I’ll call her Sheila—was tough in the demands she placed on her gymnasts but also kind. She watched my movements patiently and then told me what to work on: faster rotation, pointed toes, or sticking the landing. Most importantly, she was engaged in making me a better, well-rounded athlete. She was someone I actively consulted for support and guidance, rather than someone I retreated from. What Sheila brought was positivity.

The Writing Center instructors aim to be the Sheila type of coach—those who do not negatively judge, but buoy. Those who are less interested in perfection (it is not always about winning, after all) and more interested in personal development. Ultimately, the coach-athlete relationship is about teaching and training. The teaching part is the calm, constructive voice we bring to paper reviews, webinars, and emails. The training part is how you listen, engage, and respond to that voice. Like athletes, you need to be invested in yourself and you need to practice. And pretty soon, you will see change.

 Like athletes, you need to be invested in yourself and you need to practice. And pretty soon, you will see change. 

The most joyful part of being a coach is celebrating the athletes’ success. Even though you don’t actually see this celebration, trust me: it is happening behind the scenes in the Writing Center’s cubicles and offices when we read your improved writing. Sometimes, when it’s really quiet, we even say, “Go team!”

Other posts you might like:

The Best Writing Teacher I Ever Had

Writing Through Fear

Hillary Wentworth, writing instructor and coordinator of undergraduate writing initiatives, has worked in the Walden Writing Center since 2010. She enjoys roller-skating, solving crossword puzzles, and basking in the summer sun. She recently moved to Minneapolis.

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