Dr. Dru Marshall has been in the business of coaching for nearly 20 years but she learned early in her career that if athletes don't buy into your program, it's not going to work. All of us have good ideas but if the athletes don't agree the program will fail.
Listening skills are critical and verbal communications essential for a coach.
You have to have sound knowledge of people and how people work with one another. Marshall herself played for the University of Manitoba while completing her undergraduate degree in Physical Education and was a member of the national team in 1978. While finishing her Master of Science degree and a PhD in Exercise Physiology at the University of Alberta, she worked as head coach of the women's varsity team, a position she has held since 1980. In 1988, Marshall was appointed head coach of the junior women's national team. She held that position until April 1996, when she was awarded the position of head coach of the senior squad.