Coaching in youth sport

Youth sport coaches are valuable in the development of athletes and acting as a role model for the younger generation as they mature towards adulthood. The majority of first year youth sport coaches are parents that are thrust into the position because there is no one else to take on the responsibility. The other parents, and certainly the players, should acknowledge the time and energy commitment that the position of team coach requires.

 

For some first year coaches, the experience was so rewarding that they get “hooked” on coaching. As a result they further develop their coaching skills through continued experience and certification, ultimately improving their coaching ability. For others the experience was not as rewarding and their coaching careers come to a screeching halt, the team or organization are then left with the daunting task of replacing the coach.

 

Retaining keen and enthusiastic coaches is critical to the development of sport. I, for one, fully respect and admire all youth coaches who dedicate their time to facilitate the development and enjoyment of youth athletes. Therefore, I wanted to provide some advice to new (novice) coaches on how you can increase the enjoyment of your coaching experience, hopefully aid in your development, and most importantly keep you involved in coaching.

 

The most important first step of a coach is to delegate tasks to assistant coaches, managers, or team “mums”. Many youth coaches get overwhelmed with the large number of responsibilities of the coaching staff. Delegating tasks such as equipment, fund-raising, first aid, travel plans to others will allow you to focus on coaching the team.

 

Outline player and parent guidelines/expectations before the season starts. A formal meeting can be used to allow you to clearly explain the team objectives, training program, game/competition schedule, and most importantly the expectations of the players and parents.

 

Be prepared for all session and games. Lack of preparation will result in unnecessary complications. Attempt to plan your training session in advance, maybe a day or two before. Also try to get the training facility early to set-up so when the players arrive you can start the session.

 

Lastly remember that as a coach you are to guide the athletes, over-coaching is very prevalent in youth sport. If you are unsure of the necessary coaching points then place the athletes into game-like environments in the training sessions and let the game be the teacher. We have to respect that athletes are able to figure out solutions on their own, if they are placed in the “right” environment.

Craig Dalrymple

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