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Quick Lessons with
nelson pessoa
His natural talent, added to his determination and discipline, make Nelson
Pessoa one of the most renowned riders and coaches of world-class
athletes. As he offers helpful tips and important insights in each issue
of Equestre Americas magazine, our readers can also learn from this
legendary equestrian. Read on for more of Nelson Pessoa’s thoughts on
coaching.
What values are important to a successful teacher- makes a good student. When you work with that
student relationship? perspective, your chances of success are quite large.
One
of
the
most
important
things
in
the
relationship between coach and student is the time. Have you ever refused a student? What were the
They will need to spend a lot of time working together, reasons?
and over that time the student has to start noticing Yes, it’s happened to me before, and one case
the improvement in their technical quality so that recently was a student who professionally was very
they can begin to gain trust and confidence in their good and talented, but still a young teenager. I have
coach―and that trust will be the key to the success of a list of five main factors that I believe will make
this relationship. The student needs to notice their a champion athlete: (1) talent, (2) dedication, (3)
evolution, and from that perception, they will decide attitude, (4) financial capabilities, and (5) management.
to continue working with this coach. For me, those are the five commandments of success in
With regard to the teacher, it works in a similar
way. The coach must appreciate the student and wish The young man I am referring to had a poor attitude
for their coaching to be more than a lucrative way to and too much attachment to his parents. He came to
earn a living. The coach must find their work fulfilling training in a bad mood, did not greet his colleagues,
and have a true interest in the real evolution of the etc... He possessed the other four factors: talent,
student. dedication, financial capabilities, and management -―but
The student makes a good teacher, and the teacher
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equestrian sport.
in his attitude he sinned a lot. Talent can be developed;