Ben Bergeron: In it to win

From 2010 Crossfit Competitor to coaching the team champs in 2011, Bergeron hasn’t missed a beat

Ben Bergeron thought triathlons offered him the ultimate competitive test of fitness, until he found Crossfit over 6 years ago – and was crushed by 18 rounds of Cindy. Bergeron hasn’t looked back.

Bergeron boasts one of the most impressive Crossfit resumes: In 2010, he competed as an athlete in the Regionals and Crossfit Games, and in 2011 coached the North East Regional and Crossfit Games Team Champions, Crossfit New England.

Sweat Rx caught up with Bergeron prior to the 2012 North East Regional competition to discuss his transition from athlete to coach and the evolution of the role of the coach in Crossfit.

Crossfit Coach

A shoulder surgery in 2011 solidified Ben’s transition from competitive Crossfit athlete to coach. While he is unable to say unequivocally whether he prefers competing as an athlete or coaching, he is quick to affirm that he loves coaching at least as much as being an athlete, and accepted the role with open arms. This seamless transition came naturally as Bergeron had previously assumed the player-coach role on Crossfit New England’s team in 2010.

Bergeron considers the coaching role as being of penultimate importance to team success and notes it is the most underrated aspect of Crossfit team competition. While a player-coach may be well suited to identify issues with movement standards and assist teammates in improving skills, he believes there are a number of unintended negative consequences that often arise as a result of having player-coaches. For instance, the player-coach is more likely to have bias in their decision-making.

Bergeron states that the player-coach will often want to be included in WODs during competition, whether or not they may be the best suited for that particular WOD. They may also select training WODs that focus predominately on their individual strengths or weaknesses rather than selecting training WODs that are most valuable to the members of the team, as individuals and collectively.

Perhaps the most important indicator of a team’s success, according to Bergeron, is their ability to communicate effectively under all circumstances. Team members must use both verbal and non-verbal cues. The ability to utilize these cues can effectively translate into more efficient transition times between team members and movements. This can mean seconds off the clock and the difference between first and second place.

It is the intangible – the little things – that win championships. If a team of six incredibly talented athletes is not prepared to sacrifice personal glory and fully commit to the team’s success before their own, the team will inevitably fall short.

For Bergeron, it is the coach’s role to ensure that the team is working together. They are put into situations during WODs where they practice subtly communicating with each other, learn each others body language, and when to back off or to push each other through a movement.

Bergeron also works with his athletes on movement-specific transitions and mental training techniques. Training programming includes a mix of WODs where the team members compete against each other and “team WODs” which place more emphasis on transitioning between movements and working together as a cohesive unit.

In competition Bergeron will have the final say as to which team members will perform movements, but is quick to point out that this is a democratic process that involves an open discussion amongst the team.

Team Captains

Ben also stresses the importance of team leaders or captains.  These team members are often left to assume the role of coach once the action begins.  Ben points out that the coaches role is extremely limited once 3-2-1 – GO is called.  The lack of control over the Wod once it begins is by far his least favorite part of coaching.  He likens the Crossfit coach to a director of a play saying that once the action starts “you jump into the audience like everyone else”.  Once the coach is in the “audience” the role of the team leader or captain becomes of particular importance.

Ben believes that these leaders or captains develop naturally and he does not select them himself.  The team is quick to develop its own culture and the leaders and captains will be easily identifiable.  For Ben, while it is not the coaches’ role to select the leader he may meet with them to discuss their role and responsibilities.

Crossfit New England

Crossfit New England team members generally train Monday to Friday and rarely do multiple WODs per day, except when leading up to competition.  The team members adhere to a reasonably strict Paleo diet approximately 80-90 percent of the time.  None of the members eat perfectly but try to live balanced and healthy lives.

Crossfit New England also works on team building outside of the box by participating in activities as a group which may include anything from getting together for their weekly meal, going on a weekend getaway or discussing a book they are reading together during their Tuesday meetings. Whatever the case, it’s all in name of team building.

Bergeron admits that a championship team does not come over night. It takes hard work and he and his team members don’t take anything for granted. Effective communication and camaraderie are keys to success but ultimately nothing is guaranteed. Crossfit New England only won one WOD at the 2011 Crossfit Games – the final and most important WOD. They may not have had the best individual athletes in the entire team competition but worked together to put the team before themselves when it counted the most.

While it currently may be the exception rather than the rule, Bergeron believes that in 3 or 4 years all teams contending for the Crossfit Games will have a dedicated coach. If the success of the 2011 Crossfit Games Champion Crossfit New England is any indication of the benefits of having a dedicated and knowledgeable coach, then there is little doubt that he is right.