The Chronicle of Coaching provides a snapshot of what’s happening in the coaching profession, and is updated weekly. Compiled and edited by Ruth Ann Harnisch, Christine Heinrichs, and Linda Ballew.

In this week’s Chronicle: When great coaches die, the magnitude of their influence is celebrated. This week, two are honored. A legendary sports coach and a pioneer of contemporary coaching education are remembered warmly. (Please scroll down to read a special letter from Vikki Brock about Laura ) Academic scandal in Bangladesh brings some coaching centers into a harsh spotlight.

The latest trend in hiring - applicants must pass muster with the boss’s coach. A trend that’s showing up regularly around the world is “brain drain,” and this week we see law firms and investment banks trying to keep their best women from quitting after giving birth. ‘Maternity coaches’ help the new moms learn how to balance their responsibilities so they stay on the job.

Proof that 'life coach' is in the vernacular: The New York Times uses it in a clever headline for an article that has nothing to do with coaching. We've got stories on financial coaching for college athletes and their coaches, language coaching for elementary school students, and rest-of-your-life coaching for seniors. A new book takes a scientific look at what happens to the brain when behavior changes. As the phenomenon of The Secret gets more press, coaches' comments are quoted. Here's a new one: your party guests get one-on-one coaching in golf or baseball when the specially equipped truck pulls up. Meet a Special Olympics coach, a lawyer coach, a spiritual coach, and a coach with a coach.

And as always, if we missed anything, let us know at info@thefoundationofcoaching.org

Basketball Coach Cries Foul, Radio Host Shamed
April 10, 2007, Rutgers Press Conference - You Tube
Rutgers Basketball Coach Vivian Stringer is featured in live news conference responding to the controversy sparked by the inappropriate remarks broadcast by talk show host Don Imus on
MSNBC and CBS Radio. She and her team agree to meet the disgraced radio host in person to hear his apology and respond to what he said.

Coaching Centers Implicated in Fake Student Scandal
April 9, 2007, The Daily Star (Dhaka, Bangladesh)
A university committee is investigating student admissions for evidence of forged documents that may have been prepared with the assistance of coaching centers.

Grambling State Coach Eddie Robinson Dead at 88
April 5, 2007, Many sources (Louisiana, USA)
His passing inspires many to share memories of his legendary achievements. He sent more than 200 players to the NFL, including the first from a Historically Black College or University.

Coach Robinson's Influence Praised
April 6, 2007, ESPN (Connecticut, USA)
His greatness was evidenced by the number of players and teams he coached to achievement and how they transcended segregation. His personal love for those he coached is reciprocated by those who knew him.

Memorial Service Held for Laura Whitworth
April 5, 2007, Many sources (Louisiana, USA)
Laura Whitworth, co-founder of the Coaches Training Institute, died of cancer February 28, 2007. Vikki Brock honors her with a tribute to her life and work.

Coach Finds Fulfillment Working with Disabled
April 8, 2007, The Star-News (North Carolina, USA)
Helping her older sister, who has Down’s Syndrome, developed this coach’s skills as a caregiver and sports coach for Special Olympians.

Maternity Coaches Stem Brain Drain
April 9, 2007, Sun-Sentinel, (Florida, USA)
Law firms, investment banks and other employers are starting to introduce “maternity coaching” to retain high-potential women, whom they risk losing at this crucial juncture in their lives and careers.

German Soccer Coach Manages Pressure with His Own Coach
March 28, 2007, Playfuls.com (Hamburg, Germany)
World Cup pressure in 2006 led him to work with a coach of his own, and they continue to work together.

Coaching is a CEO Compensation Perk
April 8, 2007, The New York Times (New York, USA)
New reporting requirements for executive compensation provide copious detail on what their benefits packages contain, including health coaching.

Improve Your Swing at a Coaching Party
April 6, 2007, The Minneapolis Star Tribune (Minnesota, USA)
A Twin Cities-based company will send its specially-equipped truck to work with clients on their golf or batting swing at their homes. They've become a popular party attraction.

Fitness Coaching Boosts Corporate Bottom Line
April 6, 2007, NBC5i.com (Texas, USA)
A local fitness coaching company offers preventive health checks and demonstrates its value by tracking insurance claims before and after coaching.

Toes Point the Way for Coach Training
April 6, 2007, The Arizona Republic (Arizona, USA)
A healing arts school's reflexology students examine feet and toes as they learn health, spiritual and life coaching.

Study Shows Corporate Coaching Returns Make Financial Sense
April 3, 2007, Marketing Web (Johannesburg, South Africa)
A case study by a professional services firm shows huge ROI for the cost of executive coaching, although business does not yet make a commensurate investment. The article first appeared in the Gordon Institute of Business Science Review at the University of Pretoria.

"Mommy and Daddy's Little Life Coach"
April 5, 2007, The New York Times (New York, USA)
There is not a single mention of the word 'coach' nor any reference to professional coaching in this article about parents who solicit advice from their children.

Nonprofit Management Vets Candidates with Executive Coaches
April 3, 2007, The Wall Street Journal (New York, (USA)
An interview with the boss’s own executive coach can help both parties by recommending the person who is the best fit with the organization and other executives.

'The Secret' Is No Secret to Coaches
April 1, 2007, Sioux Falls Argus Leader (South Dakota, USA)
The popularity of the video and book featuring the Law of Attraction is the subject of this local newspaper article, which cites two Sioux Falls-area life coaches’ comments.

Lawyer Coach Describes Coaching
April 9, 2007, Life at the Bar (Georgia, USA)
Continuing to practice law while she coaches, she helps clients create personal and professional change, reach excellent performance and then sustain processes for self-correction.

Sales Coach Advises on Giving Value, Making Friends
April 9, 2007, The Toledo Free Press (Ohio, USA)
A real estate salesman pitched him at Grandfather’s wake. Now he helps sales people avoid such offensive tactics by teaching them to build relationships and serve the customer’s needs.

Business Columnist Gets His Own Coach
April 8, 2007, Rockford Register Star (Illinois, USA)
The coach helps him regain focus for his professional life and revive the joy and passion of using his talents.

Hiring a Coach is Good Business
April 5, 2007, LBO Advisors (USA)
A coach can help the business achieve its goals by helping the owner and employees meet theirs. Hiring one should be approached as a business decision.

Spiritual Coach Advises Connecting to the Source
April 2007, Healthy Wealthy n Wise (Arizona, USA)
He offers steps to identifying with a spiritual resource that will bring joy and freedom.

Health Coaching Company Employees Earn Miles for Exercising
April 9, 2007, Genetic Engineering News (New York, USA)
Like frequent flyer incentive programs, participants accumulate points by walking, tracking results and improving key body metrics to earn rewards.

Coaching Firms Present Workshop on Small Business Networking
April 9, 2007, dBusinessNews Cleveland (Ohio, USA)
The April 25 event includes an hour of personal coaching.

Executive Coaching Firm Offers Webinar on Identifying, Developing Leaders
April 9, 2007, TransWorldNews (Texas, USA)
The firm's vice president and its director of research will address the issues of finding and developing transformational leaders at the April 17 event.

Life Coaching Workshop Set at Resort
April 9, 2007, BusinessNorth.com (Wisconsin, USA)
The coaches, who work mostly on the telephone, look forward to the group event April 21.

Teleclass Coaches Women Executives on Skills for Advancement
April 6, 2007, PR Web (Michigan, USA)
The eight-week class addresses the 'invisible rules' of the male-dominated corporate culture and gives them ways to improve and do things differently to get ahead.

Senior Life Coach Advises on Preparation for Peace of Mind
April 3, 2007, PR Web (USA)
Her Five P's are Prepare, Preserve, Protect, Proceed and Pray.

Language Coaching Helps Elementary Students
April 2, 2007, ClickPress (England, UK)
A coaching company is donating an hour of coaching a week to support these English 7- and 8-year-olds in acquiring Spanish as a second language.

Financial Coaching for College Coaches and Student-Athletes
March 29, 2007, Business Wire (Connecticut, USA)
A Fortune 100 financial services company introduces basketball coaches to their “Playbook for Life,” as financial education program for student-athletes that coaches also use in their own planning.

By Vikki G. Brock

Continued from last edition: European Coaching
According to Peter Szabo, in the German speaking world, Dr. Wolfgang Looss is the grand old man of business coaching. A psychologist, he recognized the power of giving a space for reflecting to people who were in managerial positions. In the late-1980s he re-wrapped what psychologists were doing in business with ideas from the U.S. and the U.K. and called it coaching. He was one of the key pioneers in making coaching acceptable for top executives in the business community.

Please click here for Vikki Brock's letter from the memorial service for Laura Whitworth.

Please click here to view Laura's blog: http://laurawhitworth.blogspot.com.