Is Technology Making Us Better Coaches, or Just More Dependent?

The Upside: Access to Data We Never Had Before

It’s undeniable that technology has given us access to a level of information that would have been out of reach not long ago. We can monitor how an athlete sleeps, how their heart rate responds to different types of stress, their level of recovery, emotional state, and more.

For a coach, that’s incredibly useful. It allows for more precise workload adjustments, helps anticipate signs of fatigue or overtraining, and enables a more personalised approach — planning based not just on a calendar, but on what the individual truly needs.

But What Happens When It Stops Working?

This is where the other side of the coin appears. We're becoming so reliant on this constant stream of data that, when the watch malfunctions, the app crashes, or the cloud doesn’t sync, some coaches feel lost. What we used to manage with observation, experience, and a bit of instinct is now often outsourced to a screen.

That in itself isn’t necessarily bad — but there’s a risk: forgetting to trust our own judgement. Forgetting to observe the athlete. Forgetting to simply ask how they feel.

So Where Do We Stand?

Technology can make us better coaches — if we use it as a tool, not as a crutch. If it complements our expertise, our observational skills, and the dialogue we maintain with the people we train, it’s a valuable asset.

But if we reach a point where we can’t make a decision without data, then perhaps we’re losing something fundamental: the art of coaching.

Because yes, coaching involves science. But it also involves intuition, sensitivity, and experience — and no app can replace that.