tips for a new assistant coach?
- Thread starter decaf#13
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- Dec 28, 2008
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Books could probably be written with advice to coaches ... Oooooh I think they may have been written already 
You may want to ask some specific questions about what you mean.
You may want to ask some specific questions about what you mean.
"Two sets of eyes, one mouth"
Try to get on the same page as the head coach, as fast as you can. Talk to her (alot) and understand her philosophies, standards, goals, etc.
The more communication between the two of you, the better off you'll be ( and the more useful to her and the team you'll be). Not saying you should necessarily have a "yes man" ( or woman) mentality...but if you should disagree with something, obviously that should be addressed when the players aren't around
Try to get her to share her practice plans with you before they start, rather than trying to follow along as she goes.
The more understanding you have of her game plan, and can demonstrate your ability to execute it, the more autonomy you'll get and the entire team will benefit from having two coaches around.
i.e: The less time you spend standing next to her during practices, looking at the same thing she's looking at, the more time you can be focusing on something else she may be missing
Oh, and give her your old schools steal signs
Try to get on the same page as the head coach, as fast as you can. Talk to her (alot) and understand her philosophies, standards, goals, etc.
The more communication between the two of you, the better off you'll be ( and the more useful to her and the team you'll be). Not saying you should necessarily have a "yes man" ( or woman) mentality...but if you should disagree with something, obviously that should be addressed when the players aren't around
Try to get her to share her practice plans with you before they start, rather than trying to follow along as she goes.
The more understanding you have of her game plan, and can demonstrate your ability to execute it, the more autonomy you'll get and the entire team will benefit from having two coaches around.
i.e: The less time you spend standing next to her during practices, looking at the same thing she's looking at, the more time you can be focusing on something else she may be missing
Oh, and give her your old schools steal signs
Cannonball
Ex "Expert"
- Feb 25, 2009
- 4,888
- 113
Loyalty is paramont to an assistant coach. You will be tested early on. Good coaches also don't want a "yes person" when asked for an opinion. Try to answer anything controversial in private. Know what equipment is being set up in practice and make sure you assign it to get done. Know what equipment is handed out and have a system to track it. Help with the stats and allow the head coach to coach. Understand if you have a "good cop" or "bad cop" role. Believe me, that is important. Head the press off if you are covered by a local newspaper when you know that the coach might say something dumb. Let the coach have a cooling off period. Add enthusiam! I could go on. Since this is going to be a new situation, here is a list of qualities I comprised for some of the clinics I put on with regards to coaching. This is a partial list of "what I know about successful coaches:"
• Admit that they don’t know everything and are always asking other successful coaches how they do things.
• Have the courage to say, “I was wrong.”
• Are not afraid of winning! Yes, some coaches are secretly afraid of winning because winning changes people’s perceptions and raises the bar of expectations.
• Are never “too busy” to … (You fill in the blank. Successful coaches know that they are a community commodity and own up to that responsibility.)
• Attack problems and never pretends they don’t see problems. (This means you might have to kick the “star of the team” off of the team!)
• Know that the commitment for success involves their whole being as well as requiring a substantial commitment from their family.
• Know that once they have achieved a level of success, they have to change their expectations and shoot for higher goals.
• Listen to their staff but also know that they have to read body language and behaviors in order to assess staff recommendations.
• Respect their competition and makes sure that, “every stone has been turned over” prior to any competition.
• Know that the belief in the phrase, “That’s all that has worked in the past and that’s all that will ever work” is a recipe for disaster. In other words, successful coaches keep updated on their sport with regards to changes in rules, drills, philosophies…
• Admit that they don’t know everything and are always asking other successful coaches how they do things.
• Have the courage to say, “I was wrong.”
• Are not afraid of winning! Yes, some coaches are secretly afraid of winning because winning changes people’s perceptions and raises the bar of expectations.
• Are never “too busy” to … (You fill in the blank. Successful coaches know that they are a community commodity and own up to that responsibility.)
• Attack problems and never pretends they don’t see problems. (This means you might have to kick the “star of the team” off of the team!)
• Know that the commitment for success involves their whole being as well as requiring a substantial commitment from their family.
• Know that once they have achieved a level of success, they have to change their expectations and shoot for higher goals.
• Listen to their staff but also know that they have to read body language and behaviors in order to assess staff recommendations.
• Respect their competition and makes sure that, “every stone has been turned over” prior to any competition.
• Know that the belief in the phrase, “That’s all that has worked in the past and that’s all that will ever work” is a recipe for disaster. In other words, successful coaches keep updated on their sport with regards to changes in rules, drills, philosophies…
