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Erin Cummins

Dr. Ettl

PE 261

13 February 2022

My Coaching Core Values and Philosophy

Context:

My Equestrian expertise is aimed towards teaching middle and high school students to

develop better skills not only as riders, but as horse people as well. I welcome and encourage

both male and female youth athletes to participate. My specialty is English style riding with a

focus in Hunter/Jumper. I am inclusive to all riders of any level, though I prefer to teach those

with some experience as my goal is to assist them being competitive while traveling to various

competitions.

I am an avid horse person who grew up as a competitive Equestrian. My experiences

include traveling throughout the Midwest, competing on the A-circuit for twelve years. In 2015,

2016, and 2017 I qualified for Nationals at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It would be an honor to

share my wisdom and experiences to others so they too can achieve their goals. I believe that my

ongoing involvement with horses will give my students an authentic perspective as I too will

continuously build upon my horse skills. Above all, I will only give my best while serving them

and their needs.

Mission:

My goal, as a leader within the Equestrian community, is to spread passion for both the

sport and the animal. I strive for my athletes to develop an appreciation and respect for the sport

in which they participate in. I will create ample opportunities for each individual to find their
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strengths and then utilize them to their best ability. I will take pride in providing each individual

a personalized experience to guide them not only along their equestrian journey, but their

personal journey as well. Each student will be educated and inspired to set and reach their goals

both inside and outside a barn setting. I, as their trainer, will remember that “coaching is an

ongoing developmental journey” (Van Mullem & Gano-Overway, 2021) meaning that my growth

is dynamic, not static. Lastly, I will encourage them to develop their own leadership skills that

are authentic to their values and their style, so they can go forth with confidence in all future

ventures. My mission will be seen as achieved as I observe my athletes take strides to becoming

better riders, but more importantly deepen their skills at becoming better horse people. I will pay

specific attention to their sportsmanship throughout the season as well as their dedication. These

actions will and should be demonstrated in both their athletic and professional careers, as I

believe learning and application should go beyond their time at the stables.

Core Values:

# 1 Loyalty: We will support and encourage our teammates.

● We demonstrate good sportsmanship, build positive relationships, and emphasize the

importance of communication (standard 9, SHAPE, 2019)

● We are genuine to our trainer, our teammates, our horse, and ourselves.

● We show empathy to others and appreciate and embrace diversity (standard 10, SHAPE,

2019)

● We stay faithful to our beliefs and values

# 2 Appreciation: We will be grateful for the opportunity to participate in this sport.

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● We remember not to lose sight of the good, even after a tough practice or competition

● We begin each day with a positive attitude

● We cherish not only the wins, but also the learning moments

● We show our appreciation of the sport and our teammates by establishing a supportive

environment and enjoying each moment (standard 21, SHAPE, 2019). We will

demonstrate this by doing shoutouts at the end of each lesson to reflect on our strengths,

our horse’s strengths, and our teammates’ strengths for the day. We will be inspired and

reminded to be appreciative of one another.

#3 Dedication: We give our best efforts each day.

● We remember our purpose by taking a moment before each lesson to reflect on what this

sport means to us and why we participate in it. We will reflect on this during our warm up

so we can begin each ride with a confident mindset and grateful heart.

● We are committed to our roles and responsibilities of creating goals that align with our

values and focus on long-term development (standard 3, SHAPE, 2019)

● We have a growth mindset and are constantly looking for ways to improve

● We have a devotion to not only the sport, but our horses as well

# 4 Resilience: We strive for progress, not perfection.

● We embrace challenges and believe in ourselves

● We remember that mistakes are vital to our learning as they challenges us to become

better (standard 21, SHAPE, 2019)

● We understand that one bad ride does not define you or your horse
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● We persevere through adversity and seek out continual improvement through self

reflection (standard 38, SHAPE, 2019)

Goals:

#1 Dive into the importance of individualism

I believe athletes learn best when they set their own individual goals, therefore creating

their own version of “success.” Horseback riding is a team sport between a person and a horse,

rather than a person and another person. This unique aspect allows athletes to show off their

individual strengths and focus on their personal goals. An example of what this looks like is one

athlete only wanting to build confidence on a horse while another athlete has aspirations of

competing at the top level. Although both athletes share the commonality of love for the sport

and for the animal, it is essential for me as the trainer to know the goals of each rider so I can

cater each lesson appropriately. One way that I will ensure individualism within my training is to

encourage each athlete to create their own goals for what they want to achieve. I will ask them to

discuss both their short term and long term goals so we have a vision of what we want to work

towards. This goal will be achieved through continuous and open communication with my

athletes. A combination of imparting my wisdom while also listening to my athletes and their

needs will allow me to be successful in assisting my athletes towards accomplishing their goals.

# 2 Build meaningful relationships

I believe athletes learn best when they create valuable relationships with their coaches

and teammates. It is vital for individuals to have a support system as they naivage the ebbs and

flows of being a competitive athlete. My goal is for all my athletes to establish professional and

personal relationships with me, and with their fellow equestrians. Building trust and creating a
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bond is a major component of riding, therefore this goal should be even more prominent in our

sport. An example of this looks like all the athletes, their families, and the trainer going out to

dinner after a competition. This allows everyone to come together as a family and celebrate a fun

day of showing. Another example would be the athletes helping each other out at the barn with

their chores and going for rides together. This promotes the idea of supporting one another and

creating friendships. In the end, I know this goal will be achieved as people become more than

fellow riders, but rather life long friends that they can rely on. I, too, will strive to get to know

my athletes on a personal level as I want them to come to me in times of need. Lastly, I hope that

everyone can encourage, motivate and inspire one another both at the barn and off property, as I

believe this will allow them to become the best athlete and best person.

#3 Strive for continuous improvement

I believe athletes learn best when they are proud of their accomplishments, yet are hungry

to learn more. One should always take credit for the strides that they have made, however like

most things in life, learning is dynamic. An example of what this looks like is for me, as the

trainer, to host one-on-one meetings with my athletes to discuss their performance after each

competition. This will encourage my athletes to become advocates for their needs while also

giving them responsibility to evaluate their own performance. I believe self reflection will play a

major role in allowing my athletes to reach their full potential because it will require them to

investigate an issue and then seek out the best solution for them. Alike my first goal, this one will

also require open communication and trust between trainer and athlete. I will appropriately

challenge my athletes to read in between the lines and not settle. It is important that we celebrate

the victories, yet remember that each day is a new opportunity to learn more.
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Philosophy:

My coaching philosophy is to guide athletes in discovering their identities, their

strengths, and their passions, and then utilizing them so they can be the best person that they can

be. I will embrace the diversity of individuals, the diversity of goals, and the varied

understanding of ‘success.’ Standard 1 of the SHAPE America National Standards for Sport

Coaches focus on “the development of the whole athlete [as] sport coaches prioritize

opportunities for development over winning” (SHAPE, 2019). My version of success is not

always determined by taking home the blue ribbon, but rather the efforts, teamwork, and

resiliency the athlete has demonstrated. As a trainer, I will also make it a priority to establish a

safe environment by helping “athletes learn from mistakes, improve their skills, and challenge

their capabilities in an inviting and supportive environment (Standard 21, SHAPE, 2019). It is

essential that my athletes feel comfortable to learn from their errors, rather than be stunted from

them. I will also aim to empower and motivate the individuals placed under my care. As I guide

my athletes in reaching their full potential, I will establish meaningful relationships with each

one of my athletes to show that I care for them as both an athlete and a person. Standard 3

explains that “sport coaches create and implement goals important to the physical, behavioral,

and social development of the athlete” (SHAPE, 2019). I will honor my athletes' individual

needs by being selfless in my decisions and always putting their aspirations ahead of my own.

Above all, I will aim to instill in them the core values of loyalty, appreciation, dedication, and

resilience. By staying authentic to my mission, my values, and my philosophy, I will accomplish

my main goal as a trainer, which is to guide my athletes in their quest to become talented

equestrians, skillful horse people, and exceptional individuals.

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References

Advanced Solutions International, I. (n.d.). National Standards for Sport Coaches.

Coaching Standards. Retrieved February 8, 2022, from

https://www.shapeamerica.org/standards/coaching/

Mullem, P. V., & Gano-Overway, L. (2021). To Coach Is to Know Your Why. In To be a

better coach: A guide for the youth sport coach and coach developer. essay, Rowman et

Littlefield.