What Are a Coach's Roles and Responsibilities?

A coach has many duties and responsibilities both on and off the field. It is his job to prepare players for games through well-executed practices and game plans. The work ethic and discipline a coach instills in his players can last them throughout life and prepare them to handle success as well as failure.

  1. Ensure Player Safety

    • According to Dr. Rich Engelhorn of Iowa State University, it's a coach's responsibility to ensure the safety of her players during practices and games. This can entail holding practices indoors during very hot weather, monitoring players' water intake and not drilling them to the point of injury. It's also the coach's responsibility to ensure her players are using appropriate and up-to-date safety equipment.

    Promote Competition, Discourage Harassment

    • It is the coach's duty to promote a climate of athletic competition that pushes each athlete on the field to improve sport-specific skills and increase athletic prowess in general. He must do this while maintaining a sense of equality among his players to discourage harassment or hazing. A coach tries to eliminate the appearance of "playing favorites" by declaring performance as the only criterion for success. The key is holding players to that standard.

    Teacher, Mentor and Example

    • A coach is also a teacher and a mentor who leads by example. Not only does she train athletes how to run specific patterns or plays, but she also teaches them how to deal with success, conduct themselves professionally on and off the field, and be gracious winners and complimentary losers. These skills are necessary for successful athletes to adjust to the attention that comes with playing a sport at a high level. Instilling high moral character in athletes pays dividends when they transition to college or professional sports.

    Winning the Right Way

    • It is a coach's job to win games. He must do so in an ethical manner by respecting the spirit of the rules as well as the letter of the rules, according to Engelhorn. A coach has a responsibility to show his players how to win the right way -- both on the field and in life. This allows players to develop a sense of community and empathy for others. The goal is to help one another along the way.