Sport Coach Job Description

At any level of sports, the amount of time coaches spend with young athletes gives them an opportunity to make a significant impact on the athlete's life. Coaches provide training as volunteers in youth sports and coach high school, college and professional teams and athletes as well. Coaches are also involved with camps and clinics, where they work with individual athletes in skill development activities.

  1. Types

    • Sport coaches come in all shapes and sizes. Youth leagues everywhere rely on volunteer coaches to work with young athletes in developing skills. At middle and high schools, coaches are responsible for the after-school sports programs. Most of these coaches are also teachers, but some work off-campus during the day. Colleges have coaches on their payrolls to manage their sports' teams, with the goal of winning games and training student athletes, and professional coaches are hired to win.

    Player Safety

    • The safety and protection of the players on the team is the primary duty of a coach at any level. Teams do not win without healthy athletes, but, more importantly, the coach must provide a safe environment for athletes during all team activities. Many coaches, particularly those at the high school level and above must be trained in first aid and CPR and in the basics of treating injuries. Coaches must keep the health and safety of their players as the main focus during training sessions and when managing game strategy.

    Teaching Skills

    • From individual skills to game strategy and tactics, the coach must be able to assist players in finding their weaknesses and strengthening them. The coach must be able to recognize what an athlete is doing wrong and then develop drills to assist the player in improving in that area. They must know the game and be able to share that knowledge in a one-on-one teaching situation.

    Administrative Functions

    • The work of a coach at any level is not limited to the time spent on the field with the athletes. The coach spends as much time working in administrative tasks that keep the team going. From evaluating players and selecting a roster to setting up a game schedule, the demands on the coach are considerable. The coach at a school program must also monitor things like grades because they govern player eligibility. Ordering and maintaining playing equipment and fields is another area of responsibility that typically falls to the coach of a school team. Larger colleges and professional teams have staff to help in those areas.

    Coach as a Role Model

    • The coach is responsible for setting an example for his or her players and setting the tone for the program. Coaches who yell a lot can affect the interest level of players in participating and in working to improve their game. Everyone is watching the coach during practice and games, especially at the youth and high school levels, and when the coach's behavior is inappropriate those actions tend to spread to the players and parents associated with the team. A coach who behaves professionally will encourage others around him or her to do the same.