Being a successful youth sports coach is no easy task, but the good news is there are a number of things you can do to increase the odds for success — both on and off the field. Regardless of whether you coach pee-wees or high school student athletes, the following tips are designed to help you build strong relationships, teach life skills, and improve your chances for winning on the field:
- Crystallize your coaching philosophy. Coaching styles develop over time and through experiences working with kids, parents, school administrators, and even officials. It is important to continually define and refine your values, expectations, goals, and protocols as they relate to working with kids, and to make consistent efforts to model these qualities on a daily basis. When the coach “walks the walk” with how the team should be run, it becomes a lot easier to get players, coaches, and parents to buy in to team goals.
- Empower assistant coaches. Keeping up with all the responsibilities of being a coach can be overwhelming when you factor in practice and games, communicating with parents, travel schedules, and the countless more expectations associated with coaching. Head coaches will find that delegating some tasks to other coaches (or parents) will not only free up time, but also allow for more time to work with kids.
- Model sportsmanship and teach athletic transferable skills. Coaches who prioritize sportsmanship regularly respect opponents and officials, and make it a priority to play by the rules at all times. Additionally, they realize that many of the skills learned in sports will help kids off the field as well, and talk to kids regularly about the importance of athletic transferable skills.
- Provide ongoing feedback to kids and parents. Great coaches give a lot of high-5’s to kids, and talk to parents about how their child is developing as the season unfolds. When kids (and parents) are provided feedback better relationships are developed, less problems occur, and ultimately kids learn how to play their best.
- Hold players accountable. It is not uncommon for kids to sometimes miss deadlines, come to practices late, or even break important team rules. In these instances it is important for coaches to address the situation by making sure to hold up established team policies, even if it is the star player. When coaches do not hold players accountable, trust erodes and parents often call “politics” and assume the coach plays favorites.
- Bring your A-Game attitude everyday! Team attitude starts with the coach! When coaches show up early, energize their team, model sportsmanship, and have fun while coaching, only then will a positive energy and attitude begin to impact every kid on the team. Energy, enthusiasm, and attitude are big variables when it comes to team success, and it all starts with the coach.
For more help with youth sports coaching check out our Coach Tool Kit here!
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