Sports Coaching as a Career Path

A sports coach essentially organises professional and amateur athletes while teaching them the fundamentals of a specific sport. They also need to train them to compete individually or as a team. You will also find coaches that are required to recruit new players for professional and college teams.

Quick Facts about Sports Coaches

•    In 2015, the annual earnings for a sports coach were around $31,000.

•    Combined with athletic scouts, sports coaches held around 251,000 jobs during 2014.

•    Most sports coaches worked at educational institutions, such as colleges and high schools, while others worked for community organisations.

•    Sports coaches have a fantastic job outlook as employment will grow just as fast as average occupations through to 2024.

Job Duties

There are typical job duties that sports coaches need to excel in to become a successful coach for an athlete or team, including:

•    Problem solving

•    Assistance in recruiting and scouting activities

•    Instruct and teach all aspects of the sport

•    Foster great character and promote sportsmanship in student athletes

•    Supervise students in locker rooms and practice areas

•    Establish rapport and encourage athlete participation

•    Maintain uniforms and equipment

Educational Requirements

Coaches in high schools or colleges are usually teachers which means they are required to meet all qualifications for their occupation. This means they will need a bachelor’s degree at the very least. Degrees that specifically relate to coaching will often include sports medicine, physical education, fitness and nutrition, kinesiology, physiology, sports science, and exercise.

Most employers will usually expect that the coach they hire to have experience in the sport they wish to coach. Those that worked in public schools, such as high schools, must be certified. This usually requires training in first aid and CPR as well as coaching fundamentals and sports safety.

How to Advance As a Sports Coach

It’s highly likely that you will start your coaching career as an assistant coach. Once you gained the necessary experience and knowledge, you will have a greater chance of becoming a head coach. If you are interested in competing at the highest level of a sport in school, you will be required to have substantial experience as an assistant or head coach from a smaller school. However, if you are interested in coaching a professional sport, you will need years of experience along with a winning record to get anywhere.

What Employers Will Expect From You

Apart from gaining the necessary experience and skills to become a coach, most employers will also look for other qualities before they will hire you. These qualities include:

•    Attention to accuracy and detail as well as demonstrating an organisational ability

•    Must be able to give precise and clear directions

•    Must have good judgment and safety awareness

•    Positive, fun, and enthusiastic attitude

•    Must have knowledge of diverse populations and cultures

•    You will be required to immerse yourself in a specific sport and ensure that you are up-to-date with the latest techniques and training methods to excel

•    A background check is always required