Ten Keys to Being a Good Coach

Here are a few of the basic principles you need to be a successful coach in team sports. These Ten Keys will allow you to watch your team achieve the balance of having fun playing a game AND putting forth their best effort.

1. Be Positive! When you provide criticism, put something positive with it.

2. Make it Fun! As a coach, you must make the game fun! That does not mean there is no discipline and structure. It means you can still have fun while teaching them that discipline is part of the game.

3. Develop Confidence in Every Player! The best coaches develop players who BELIEVE they can achieve great things as an individual and as a team. If a player is confident that his coach believes in him no matter the circumstance, he will play with more confidence and develop this valuable characteristic in life beyond the field of play!

4. Set Expectations Early! Your first communication with the parents of your team must include your expectations for the season. These expectations MUST be inclusive of the players, parents, and YOU the coach. Keep them simple, such as: arriving to practice on time; giving your best effort; and having a great attitude. Remember this includes YOU the coach.

5. You are the Coach! Make sure the team understands that they are there to learn a game and you're going to help them become better players. They MUST pay attention when you are demonstrating drills. A simple warning, then a lap around the field if they didn't respond to your warning, usually works.

6. The Three R's! Teach your players The Three R's. RESPECT the game (including coaches and officials); RESPECT their teammates; and RESPECT the opponent. Without an opponent you have no game.

7. Short-Term Memory! Help your players develop a short-term memory. This means to not dwell on mistakes or get upset at making an error. They need to forget what happens as soon as possible and move on. It is in the past and they can’t change it, so move forward with a positive attitude. Teach them that mistakes are okay. It’s your responsibility to teach them that they will become a better player if they learn from their mistakes and forget about the outcome. Getting upset at mistakes does not provide a good environment to improve.

8. Minimize Coaching DURING the Game! Try, because it is not easy to do this. The time to coach is at practice or during the breaks. Game time is when the work you do at practice is applied. If you must coach during a game, do it during a stoppage of play. Keep notes on things to work on at the next practice.

9. Develop Leaders! Give leaders of the team more responsibility on the field. Allow them to tell the other players what to do, as long as they do it in a respectful, positive manner. Tell them they can correct and instruct other players only if they do so in a way they would like to be talked to. This will develop their leadership abilities.

10. Develop Versatile Players! At the youth level you must strive to develop well-rounded players. Playing a child in one position all of the time simply for the sake of winning is not beneficial to the player or the team. Allow kids to learn different positions and your team will grow to levels you never imagined. You will also be keeping the game exciting for the player.

IN SUMMARY: Never forget that it is a GAME and should be FUN! Joke with players; get to know them; find out what they like.

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Date: 2016-03-03; view: 856