The origin of the word “Coach”
“Coach” can be traced back to the 1550s from the Middle French coche , the German kotsche, and the Hungarian kocsi (which literally translates “carriage of Kocs”, from the name of the village where carriages were made.)
The meaning for a coach as an instructor or trainer first came about in approximately 1830; it was used as slang at Oxford University for a tutor who “carries” a student through an exam.
Coach in the “athletic sense” came about around 1861.
And as our very own Terrie Lupberger (Senior Trainer, Master Certified Coach) defines it,
coaching is a specific type of conversation between the coach and the employee (or team) being coached. Instead of directing or advising, the coach asks powerful questions that help the client reframe their challenge and identify new behaviors and actions that will help them better achieve the desired outcomes. The client then becomes accountable to the coach for the changes they commit to make.
So there you have it!