Anatomy of a Great High School Coach

Someone who is willing to listen and communicate with parents yet doesn't get too close, and is single minded and self assured enough to make the tough decisions about player personnel and PT. One who treats each individual player as they ought to be rather than trying to treat them all the same, since they are not.

My insight and viewpoint on this comes from seeing two extremes:
1) Coach would have zero conversation and/or involvement with parents...yet ALWAYS had the right 9 on the field as it pertained to talent, characater and dedication.

2) Coach would talk and hee-haw with parents and others and new teh game, yet struggled with personnel and PT decisions due to relationships with kids and/or parents.

I have thought about this question many a time. After many a team and coach, I have come down to this two elements.

1. Treats his players with respect, holds them accountable and demands the same from himself.

2. Has a well run program; from fund raising, to practices through games; is there a program and is it communicated, understood and run effectively.

If those two elements are in place, you may not think that your kid is getting the best coaching, but it doesn't matter. It is about having a good experience and developing character.

Come to my son's HS and you'll see one in action.

quote:

My insight and viewpoint on this comes from seeing two extremes:
1) Coach would have zero conversation and/or involvement with parents...yet ALWAYS had the right 9 on the field as it pertained to talent, characater and dedication.

2) Coach would talk and hee-haw with parents and others and new teh game, yet struggled with personnel and PT decisions due to relationships with kids and/or parents.

during my tenure I would like to think I was # 1. Now probably it would be described as being aloof. to any new coaches thinking about getting into this your job is to be a coach to your players. If you try to be a schmoozer to the parents because you want to be liked you are in trouble. It used to be coaches coached parents went to the games and went home. Now in some programs they practically sit in the dugout and make out the lineup.

Two words.....

CHARACTER and accountability.

GED10DaD

quote:

1. Treats his players with respect, holds them accountable and demands the same from himself.

2. Has a well run program; from fund raising, to practices through games; is there a program and is it communicated, understood and run effectively.

3. Understands the game.

4. Wants his players to reach their potential (doesn't object to travel ball and outside instruction).

5. Wants to see his players get to college ball and is willing to help them get there.

6. Honest

Having gone from two years of "thumbs down" to a "thumbs up" this year, I'd agree with RJM. #1 for me is having a coach who runs a great practice focused on developing players and building skills, who knows how to best utilize the talent available to him in games and over the season, who knows how to turn individuals into a cohesive team, who inspires them to do their best, and who can deal with the AD to get what the team needs.

My son is excited about HS ball for the first time in his three years as a varsity player. He respects this coach and his ability to lead the team, and wants to please him. IMO, that's the sign of a great coach.

Besides the above, someone mentioned something in another thead which I feel applies to being a great coach at any level.

Let the players control the game, that's how they learn. I think that is the greatest gift a coach can teach his players.

I accidently posted this in the wrong thread:
I know of several coaches in the San Fernando Valley that seem to win year in and year out regardless of the talent on their squad. They seem to share the trait of letting the kids play during the game. They are almost invisible except when they wisely pick the time to discuss the interpretation of the rules with the umpires. One of them appears have only one word in his vocabulary which seems to appropriately address every situation.