The English term “coach” is derived from the Hungarian word kocsi, short for kocsi szekér, meaning “Carriage of Kocs”. Kocs is a small town on the main road between Vienna and Budapest in northwest Hungary (where these carriages were made).

In about 1830 students at the University of Oxford began to use “Coach” as a slang term in reference to their instructors, tutors or trainers who "carried" the student through an examination and in 1831 the students extended the use of the term in relation to sports.

Historically, the evolution of coaching has been influenced by many other fields of study including those of personal development, adult education, various divisions of psychology and other organizational or leadership theories and practices. Since the mid-1990s, coaching has developed into a more independent discipline and professional associations such as the Association for Coaching, the International Coach Federation, the International Christian Coaching Association, the Center for Credentialing & Education have helped define the profession by establishing ethical and performance standards as well as developing a set of training standards.

To understand what a Coach is and what they do, it is important to first eliminate some common misconceptions:

Coaching is not:

• another term for or means of Counseling or Psychotherapy.
• mentoring.
• teaching.
• unconditional love and affirmation.
• yelling, belittling, throwing tantrums or chairs.
• what is frequently seen on T.V. associated with college sports.

Coaching is:

• a relationship governed by an agreement between the Coach and the Coachee (Client), which depends on the Coachee’s goals, temperament, and values; therefore, each Coaching relationship is different.
• coachee-centered and coachee-directed.
• confidential.
• goal achieving.
• self-discovering and self-guiding.
• questioning, understanding and supporting.

Obtaining the correct Coach depends on the desired Coaching Relationship which should be defined (in conjunction with the Coach) by the Coaching Client (Coachee) who selects a Coach who is committed to the Coachee’s values and goals without taking over ownership.

Within each of these classifications of coaches are various philosophies and approaches to coaching.  Obtaining the correct Coach depends on the desired Coaching Relationship.

To discuss the possibilities of Coaching, call or E-Mail Metamora Coaching, in the U.S.A., at:

               (574) 522-2222               E-Mail@Metamora.CO