Coaching Through Uncertainty: When You Don’t Have the Answer Yet

By Coach Dan — Tri-State Training | Mindset. Movement. Memorable.

This might get me in trouble, but I’ll say it anyway:

If your coach thinks they know everything—and never asks anyone else for help—you need a new coach.

Good coaches should have questions.

They should have networks.

They should have people they call when something is outside their depth.

If you are the smartest person in every room you’re in, you’re in the wrong rooms.

I never want to be the smartest person in the room. Most of the time, I’m not. And that’s intentional. That’s how I grow.

There Is a Difference Between Uncertain and Unprepared

Being uncertain doesn’t mean you’re unqualified.

Being unprepared is a different story.

If an athlete walks in with a situation you didn’t anticipate, you might not have an immediate answer. That’s uncertainty.

But if you avoid researching it, avoid asking questions, and avoid seeking help—that’s unprepared.

There’s no excuse for that.

When something new comes up, I do the work. I read. I call people. I consult experts. I dig into it. The next time that conversation happens, I’m better equipped.

You can be uncertain in the moment.
You cannot stay unprepared.

“I Don’t Know” Is a Responsible Answer

I once had an athlete who was five months pregnant and preparing for a national event. She looked at me and asked, “Can I do this?”

I didn’t know.

And I said that.

We didn’t guess. We didn’t pretend. She spoke to her doctor. We connected with someone who had navigated high-level performance in a similar situation. I did research. We built a progression plan together.

That’s coaching through uncertainty.

Not pretending.
Not guessing.
Not defaulting to ego.

We gathered information, then made a decision.

That’s leadership.

Your Network Is Part of Your Competence

Research matters. But sometimes I would rather call someone who has lived it.

I have coaches I call.
I have specialists I consult.
I have nutritionists, therapists, and performance professionals in my network.

Sometimes the best move is saying, “You need to work with someone more qualified than I am for this piece.”

That’s not weakness.

That’s responsibility.

There are people better than me in specific areas of strength and conditioning. There are people better than you in specific areas too. That’s normal. The goal isn’t to be everything for everyone.

The goal is to do what’s best for the athlete.

Collaboration Makes Better Decisions

I’m currently working with an athlete who received a new diagnosis. Programming around it isn’t a one-sided decision.

He’s done research.
I’ve done research.
I’ve had calls with coaches who know more than I do.
I’ve spoken with professionals who work in that population regularly.

Now we collaborate.

It requires more communication.
More thought.
More intention.

But it puts us in a better long-term position.

And every time I make one of those calls, I grow. The coach on the other end grows too. That’s how this profession should work.

The Danger of Pretending

It becomes dangerous when a coach pretends to have the answer.

That’s ego.

That’s insecurity disguised as authority.

And that can cost an athlete progress, health, or trust.

There is nothing wrong with saying:
“Let me look into that.”
“Let me make a call.”
“Let’s set up another conversation once I have more information.”

That’s not admitting incompetence.
That’s demonstrating care.

Uncertainty Is an Opportunity

As someone who loves learning, I actually enjoy being asked something I don’t know.

It gives me a reason to dig deeper.
To connect with someone.
To expand my understanding.
To sharpen my skill set.

Most of the people I’ve reached out to—coaches I once put on pedestals—have been more than willing to help. A DM turns into a phone call. A question turns into a conversation. A conversation turns into growth.

This field is better when we collaborate.

The Weight Behind It

Coaching isn’t about always having the answer.

It’s about knowing how to find it.

It’s about building relationships with athletes and with other professionals.

It’s about putting ego aside long enough to say, “I don’t know yet—but I will.”

Because uncertainty handled responsibly builds trust.

And trust is what carries athletes through everything else.