At CoachNow, we talk to thousands of coaches every year, and one topic that consistently comes up is accountability.

Specifically, to what extent athletes should be responsible for their OWN development.

The way I see it—improvement is a two-way street.

Coaches can provide the roadmap, but it’s up to the athlete to drive the car. When both sides are fully invested, that’s when real transformation happens.

It’s not just about showing up, it's about being prepared, engaged, and ready to grow. And that mindset shift starts with making accountability a core part of the relationship from day one.

Let’s face it: showing up for a lesson isn’t enough. 

Real improvement happens between sessions when the athlete applies what they’ve learned, reflects, and takes ownership of their journey. 

In our experience, the most successful athletes are the ones who fully embrace that mindset.

But here’s the key: this expectation has to be clear from the start.

When we talk about accountability, one of the first things I do with people is use a template. 

When I create a Space for them, I use a template. In that template, I describe what I expect from them - What is their part in this? What role do they play in the coaching piece in order for me to provide them feedback?

I’ll create an audio note with my expectations for them and ask them to give me a “fist bump” if they agree to them and are willing to work in that way. 

Understandably, some coaches hesitate to put these expectations in place. Maybe you don’t want to come off as too strict, or you’re worried it’ll scare athletes away. 

But the reality is, holding athletes accountable doesn’t push them away, it pulls the right ones in.

In order to create a strong coach-athlete relationship and have a lot of success, they need to do a certain amount of work themselves.

When an athlete isn’t working in the way that you want them to, you can create a template that really lays out what you expect from them when they practice. This can include why they do drills, why drills are frustrating, how to set up stations, etc.

You can even go a step further and drip templates every two weeks to check in with them and how their practice is going. Expect them to reply to that and give some sort of feedback like what are they working on, what’s working, what isn’t, etc.

CoachNow makes it easy to set this standard.

With built-in tools for communication, task management, video analysis, and progress tracking, everything your athlete needs is in one place, so they always know exactly where to find what they need.

No more scattered texts, lost notes, or forgotten drills—just clear, consistent guidance every step of the way.

You can create custom templates, assign practice plans, and provide timely feedback that athletes can revisit anytime.

Plus, with everything documented in one Space, it’s easy to track progress over time and keep accountability front and center.

At the end of the day, don’t be afraid to require accountability. When you build it into your coaching from the start, everyone wins: your athletes, your business, and your impact.

And remember, accountability isn’t about control, it’s about clarity. It creates a shared understanding of what success looks like and how to get there together. 

When athletes know what’s expected and feel supported in meeting those expectations, they become more confident, motivated, and consistent.

So, set the standard early, use your tools wisely, and don’t settle for passive participation. Empower your athletes to take ownership and watch how quickly things start to click.