Job Description for an Assistant Basketball Coach

An assistant basketball coach is responsible for assisting the head coach in all aspects of the program. Assistant coaches are the ones who are at times the last ones to leave practice or the office because their range of responsibilities can be quite broad. These obligations could include anything from working with players after practice, helping a player with homework, or giving a player a ride home.

  1. Experience

    • An assistant basketball coach will need some playing experience, coaching experience or previous knowledge of the game. Depending on the level you are coaching, one of these may be fine but at most levels a combination of these would be ideal. An assistant basketball coach of a grade school or middle school team will just need a little knowledge of the game whereas an assistant varsity coach would need playing and coaching experience.

    Qualifications

    • The level of the assistant basketball coach's education will vary depending on the level they are coaching. An assistant varsity basketball coach may be required to just have his high school diploma, usually from the school where they are coaching, whereas a college assistant basketball coach will need a bachelor's degree and, in some cases, a master's degree. At the college level, assistant basketball coaches may be required to teach a class each semester. In addition to education, an assistant basketball coach will need good communication skills. Communicating, both in writing and verbally, with the team and parents is a large part of the job.

    Duties

    • Duties of an assistant basketball coach can vary. They are responsible for helping the head coach with the day-to-day operation of the program plus doing any other duties that the head coach may find undesirable, such as driving players home or doing the team laundry. Basketball-related duties of an assistant coach include helping with practice and game management, film study, and helping to keep track of equipment.

    Compensation

    • Compensation for an assistant basketball coach can vary greatly depending on the level being coached. An assistant basketball coach at the grade school or middle school level you may work as a volunteer, getting paid nothing. Assistant high school basketball coaches are part-time employees who get paid a small stipend. The stipends are usually between several hundred and several thousand dollars depending on the size of the school. In college, assistant basketball coaches can be part-time or full-time employees. As of 2010, many small colleges are employing their assistant coaches part time in an effort to save money. A reasonable part-time stipend for a college assistant is around $5,000. Full-time compensation for a college assistant basketball coach can range from around $25,000 to several hundred thousand.

    Application Process

    • The application process to become an assistant basketball coach is simple once the job listing is located in the newspaper or on the website. These two outlets are typically where schools will list the positions they are hiring for. In most cases, applications will go directly to the head basketball coach or to the human resources office of the school.

    For Prospective Coaches

    • Watch the newspaper to see which assistant coaches have moved on to another school as the head coach. This will tell you that an assistant coaching spot has been vacated at his previous school and that he may be looking for an assistant at his new school. When you notice this kind of action be aggressive and send your resume to the coaches.