Coaching Is Not Correction

Coaching Is Not Correction

Željko Todorović offers an honest look into what *effective coaching* in pistol shooting actually means—beyond technique and into decision-making, observation, and athlete development.

The core message: coaching is not about fixing shots—it is about guiding development.

Observation Before Intervention

Modern coaches have powerful tools, but tools don’t replace judgment. Watch before acting. Understand what the athlete is trying to do, whether errors are systematic or situational, and if issues are technical, physical, or psychological.

Correcting too early creates dependency. High-level performance requires athlete autonomy, not constant correction.

Technique Is Individual

There is no single correct technique—only techniques that work for a specific athlete. The coach’s role is to recognize stable patterns, protect what works, and adjust only what limits progression.

Training Is Not Competition Preparation

Many athletes shoot too many full matches and too little skill isolation. Effective training includes reduced targets, rhythm drills, trigger isolation, and controlled stress exposure.

Competition performance improves from building robust execution under varying conditions, not repeating matches.

The Coach as Filter

The coach decides which information matters now and which should wait. Elite coaching requires restraint: knowing when not to speak, allowing athletes to experience errors without panic, and trusting long-term process over short-term results.

This builds shooters who can adapt, recover, and perform independently.

Long-Term Development Over Short-Term Scores

Results are not the primary goal—development is. When coaches chase immediate results, technique becomes rigid and progress stalls. When coaches prioritize understanding and stability, results follow naturally and last longer.

Final Thoughts

The best coaches do less, but do it better. They observe deeply, intervene selectively, and trust the process. In a sport where millimeters matter, patience, clarity, and restraint are often the most powerful coaching tools of all.