This document discusses the challenges of coaching one's spouse in athletics. While coaching a family member can be difficult, coaching a spouse presents even more challenges due to the intimate nature of the relationship between spouses. Some experts argue that competition and conflict are inevitable when a spouse takes on the role of coach. The document seeks perspectives from people who have successfully coached their spouses on how they navigated this dynamic.

1. Coaching your spouse: is it possible?
November2015
It isconsideredthatevenharderthancoachinga parentis coachinga spouse (awife/husband,
boyfriend/girlfriend,etc).Actually,hardenoughtobe consideredatabooquestion. A couple is
ideallyapartnershipof twopeople,butalot hasbeenwrittenaboutthe many(some of which,
unavoidable) conflictsituationsitdevelops.A few specialistsandscholarsclaim competition is
inevitable, although this is by no means consensus. Some level of dispute, though, will be
there.Isit possible, within this context, to develop productive athletic coaching relations? If
so, how?
We invited a few people who succeeded there to share their experience.
PLW - Are you a professionalcoach? Whatis yourclientelelike?
PLW - Whichspouse didyou/are you coaching? (example:girlfriend,husband,fiancée,etc)
PLW - How andwho hadthe ideaof startingthistrainingprogram?Whose initiative wasit?
PLW - Whenyouwere alreadyan athlete/coach,how didyourspouse view the sport?
PLW - How doesyourspouse deal withyourinstructionstothe exercises,especiallywhenyou
needtocorrect something?
PLW - Didyou everhave tohandle a rebelliousattitude atsome exerciseoractivityyou
thoughtwasimportant?How didyoumanage thissituation?
PLW - What advice doyou have forcouplesthatwishto engage ina coach-athlete
arrangement ?