Head Coach Responsibilities

Choose the Roster and/or Assign Players' Positions

• Head coaches are responsible for choosing players for the team and assigning them to a position. If the coach is in charge of a high school team, he will need to hold tryouts and separate the players into varsity and junior varsity teams based on skill, teamwork and potential.

  In some cases, such as elementary school or athletic league teams, the head coach cannot decide who will play for the team. He needs to find a position for every player on the team, considering each person's strengths and weaknesses. Upon observing the players in practice sessions, the coach should determine who will be the starters, keeping an eye for improvements from other players.

Know the Rules

• The coach must have a good knowledge of the sport she is coaching. Experience playing, coaching or acting as a referee is valuable for the position of a head coach. In addition to knowing about the rules of the sport, the head coach must be aware of other rules and regulations. If the coach is leading a school or community team, she must know about the regulations of the institution. Some of these rules may involve practice times, off-season activities and use of the gym facilities. Each athletic league, conference and tournament has its own rules. The coach must review these rules and preferably carry a copy to every practice and game in the case the rules need to be reviewed and applied to a certain situation.

  Some schools have rules about athletes and minimum academic scores required to play on athletic teams. The coach may generally inquire team players about their academic performance or encourage them to concentrate on their studies if they are on the verge of losing their spots on the team.

  The coach should also be able to perform the administrative work required for any of the aforementioned institutions. She may apply for other tournaments or clinics, provided that they are permitted by the school or athletic league.

Coordinate the Team

• The head coach is responsible for running practices, workouts and other team-related activities. In the case that he cannot make an event, he must find a replacement or delegate the responsibilities to an assistant coach.

  If the head coach has a team of assistant coaches, he should clearly designate their responsibilities. He may assign some of the coaches to monitor a certain player's performance, aid a struggling athlete or demonstrate and observe a specific drill.

  With a basketball, hockey or football team, the head coach should create both offensive and defensive plays and practice running them with the team. Coaches are responsible for communicating with the team during games, using signals or code-words to signify plays. With the need for good communication, the coach should develop a rapport with his team without compromising his leadership.

  Coaches should also keep an eye out for potential injuries on the team. They should provide a safe practice environment and ensure the team members are playing the sport with correct form. If any tackles or fouls appear to be extremely aggressive, the head coach should step in and warn the players to play less aggressively.

Take Charge of Other Activities

• The coach may be responsible for other activities. If the team is involved in a particularly competitive league or conference, the coach may initiate some off-season activities to ensure the athletes are improving year-round. The coach may hold clinics, workouts or off-season practices with the team.

  Some schools and athletic leagues hold an awards dinner for the athletes, and the coach must determine which athletes will be rewarded for their performance and work with the team. The coach may be required to assist in setting up and responsible for the logistics of such an event.

  Coaches may also be responsible for fund-raising activities. The institution may require the head coach to raise a specific monetary amount every year, so she must brainstorm and coordinate fund-raising activities with the assistant coaches, team members and their parents.