Communication is a major component of being a coach.

Coaches are constantly relaying messages to fellow coaches, parents, administrators—and course, players.

When it comes to coach-athlete communication, is there a place for yelling?

Rick Streiff, head coach at Cathedral High School (Indianapolis), joined USA Football’s Coach and Coordinator podcast to discuss how he has changed in his approach to talking to players through the years.

“The biggest thing, and I still find myself cycling back into this, is that I probably raised my voice too much as a young coach,” he said.

Streiff believes that when he yelled, it was not so much about the player as it was a frustration with himself.

In these situations, he does not view the player’s mistake as the player’s fault, but rather, he recognizes a lack of effective communication coming from the coach.

“As I’ve gotten older, I have learned that I might have to try three or four different ways to reach a kid,” Streiff said. “The less I raise my voice when I do that, the more clear I am.”

Streiff also knows that in order to effectively communicate with your players, you must know how they interpret information.

“Dial it back a little bit, try a different avenue, walk them through a different way,” he said. “Try to understand how that kid thinks as opposed to lumping them all together."

Listen to the full interview view Streiff on the USA Football Coach and Coordinator podcast