There are many qualities that go into being a great coach, including dedication, effort, and having a passion for helping kids. I regularly meet with coaches of all different backgrounds, sports, and sport levels, and this week I offer a checklist for coaches to see exactly how they stack up on qualities I regularly see in the best coaches. Of course, personality types will differ, but the following qualities are what I call “core qualities” that can be applied regardless of the coach or the type of team he or she coaches. If you’re a coach, check out to see how many of the following 10 qualities you do on a regular basis:
- Energy. Great coaches know that it is up to them to start each practice with a great attitude and coach with energy! Inspiring kids and promoting a positive attitude throughout the team takes energy, and this all starts with the coach. This means coaches need to be well-rested and ready to go every day, all day.
- Passion. Similar to having energy, good coaches are passionate about their job and show their excitement regularly. Having passion means getting lost in the moment and doing whatever it takes to infect kids with the same level of passion toward the sport.
- Reinforce effort. While it is easy to reward and reinforce the kids who produce results, great coaches know that effort is the tougher thing to “catch,’ but the more important piece when it comes to future growth and development. More simply, do you reward kids on your team who try really hard, even if the results aren’t there today?
- Genuineness. Being genuine means being real, which includes knowing your own vulnerabilities and not being afraid to own mistakes and admit when you are wrong.
- Openness. Great coaches have an open-door policy where players can talk and voice their opinions and concerns without fear of it being used against them.
- Teacher. The coach is a teacher of life skills first and foremost, and there are countless athletic transferable skills coaches can teach kids that can be used in the classroom, future careers, and every aspect of life. Developing strong communication skills helps coaches improve their teaching skills, as well as build strong rapport with kids.
- Delegate. Sometimes we can all be too proud to want to give one of our responsibilities to someone else for help, but great coaches know that being able to fairly delegate is not only good for the team, but also empowers others by having them also be invested in the process.
- Multi-task. Rarely do today’s coaches have it so easy that all they have to do is one thing, as increasingly more coaches wear several hats in the role of coach. Being able to teach skills, communicate with parents, and help with the booster club are three examples of tasks a coach might be called to do on any given day.
- Lead by example. If you want your kids to live a clean, healthy life and carry themselves with pride and dignity, then it is your job as coach to do these things yourself. Drinking, smoking, and using profanity are examples of poor coach qualities that kids pick up on, so be sure to self-audit to see if you are truly leading by example.
- Have FUN! The #1 reason kids play sports is to have fun, meaning that you, as the coach, should have fun, too! This is especially true for amateur coaches who for the most part are volunteers and/or being paid a small amount of money
Do you display most of the qualities listed above? For more help with coaching check out our growing line of coach peak performance products at the AHPS website.
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