I can’t thank Shannon Lilley enough for brining all of us around Eventing Nation right into the California training sessions. In this post Shannon recaps the third of four days of David O’Connor’s first training session as US coach. Thanks again Shannon and thank you for reading.
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Photo via Shannon and Two Point Photography
From Shannon:
I feel like I may need to qualify some of my statements about yesterday’s post. When I likened Coach O’Connor to Gordon Ramsay I meant in the highest regard. The juxtaposition comes from the level of excellence Ramsay expects as all good coaches would. O’Connor expects that same level of excellence and does not put up with laziness, complacency or lack of knowledge. All of these cause a lack of attention to detail from riders. If someone wants to be the best they have to have qualities that drive themselves to be there, additionally, they have to have a coach who holds them accountable, which is where Coach comes into play. The comparison may also have been influenced by the fact that I am a huge Ramsay fan.
Part of what makes a good coach is having conviction. Believing in what he or she teaches, practicing it and not being afraid to compel other to believe the same. If I have learned one thing this week so far, it is David O’Connor is a convicted individual and not afraid to show it off. The old saying is, “you live by the sword; you die by the sword.” Same goes for coaching styles. We see it every day in various sports. Coaches develop their own style and fear not to implement it. However long the process may take, he or she believes, ultimately, it will win championships.
Coach implores upon the eventing U25 group that you must be a student of the game, no excuse. No matter the cost, if you sacrifice and put in the time on all aspects of the process, you will get there. The fact of the matter is, HE is a student of the game. He has studied the world of eventing inside and out but, more importantly, he has studied other successful coaches who win year in and year out. What it takes to be the best coach and produce the best players (riders).
Don’t you think if he puts int the study time, we should hold up our end of the bargain as riders?
The lecture Wednesday morning was predominantly a question/answer session with a lot of test riding keys as well as exercises to get there. Coach is a firm believer that talent is not what gets you on the podium, actually, it is the least important. Ambition, among other factors, is key – the level of desire one has to make changes, sacrifice, want to learn, hold oneself accountable as well as study the game has everything to do with how far that person will get. Coach has a true belief in this.
Everyone had dressage lessons Wednesday morning, but this afternoon the eventing 25 crew rode their tests for David. After the lecture I thought there is so much more to riding a test but, the truth is, the actuality of riding the test is extremely scientific. Accurate test riding and producing horses that can easily win in the ring goes directly to the discipline for which each rider must strive to be the best.
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Another wonderful aspect of the ‘breath of fresh air’ surrounding the new coach is that on Wednesday night Dayna and Steve Pugh hosted a dinner for everyone and Coach actually came. Not only did he come but he interacted with everyone there on more of an individual level at one point in the evening or another. I was truly impressed as myself, Coach, Dayna and Steve all discussed coaching styles and the potential future of the program, Coach was happy to engage in the conversation and discuss his philosophy. Getting to know your players is key to the success of a coach but being transparent as a coach is key to getting the players to buy into the program. That synergy is extremely important for the longevity of any program.
I have enjoyed this week tremendously and cannot wait for today’s sessions. So far, I have learned an incredible amount about coaching styles, and how people retain, implement and grow. I have also learned what it takes to be a good student on all levels of the sport, not just riding. No matter the sport, when a coach changes, that individual needs time to implement his style. O’Connor said to get the program where he wants it, it will take three years, like any good coach. I, for one, like our new Coach, I am truly excited about the future, and, according to my sources, so are many others.
