Abstract

Communication is a multifaceted phenomenon involving the transmission or exchange of thoughts, ideas, feelings or information through verbal and non-verbal channels (Anderson 1959). Communication means not only talking but also listening to each other. Effective communication involves mutual sharing and mutual understanding. Its foundation is trust and mutual respect. Communication can be expressed in many different ways: it can be interpersonal, intrapersonal, written or visual. Athletes in different sports have to communicate with many different people in different ways. Athletes communicate in, before competition, in competition and after competition coaches find difficulties in communicating with an athlete due to a number of issues which includes the athlete's perception of something is different, the athlete may jump to a conclusion instead of working through the process of hearing, understanding and accepting, the athlete may lack the knowledge needed to understand what the coach trying to communicate and so on. Effective communication contains six elements: clear, concise, correct, complete, courteous and constructive. Improved communication skills will enable both the athlete and coach to gain much more from their coaching relationship. Good communication is the foundation of all successful coaching. It is well known that outstanding and effective coaches all have communication skills which can shift an athlete or a team from negative to positive attitudes, can express the intricate mechanics of movement in a manner which is clear and understandable, can lift a player from mediocre to elite performance by zoning in on an athlete's individual learning and motivation styles.