I have my own theiories on this. In fact, I had one assistant coach quit the first day I took this job. What are your ideas. I'll post mine at some point.
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They do what you tell them to do while providing second opinions.
Much depends on their experience level. With some assistants, you are teaching them at the same time you are teaching your players. But, assuming that your assistants have some knowledge and experience, then you give them areas of responsibility and get out of their way. Of course you monitor them and set the framework for what you want done, but you will never take full advantage of having assitants until you give them responsibility and the authority to carry out that responsibility as well as feedback on how they're doing.
Ideally your assistant coaches have more knowledge and or experience in some facet of the game than you do. Even if they don't they will certainly have the time to concentrate on a specific area that you won't. Sometimes an assistant coach may have more all around knowledge and experience but you've got the job. They key is to make the best use of their knowledge and experience possible. That's the only way to come up with the best possible team.
Even so you have to make sure that you and your coaches are presenting a united front and that you don't confuse your players with conflicting approaches. If you and your pitching coach have different ideas you have to decide how you are going to handle those differences before you start working with the players.
In the long run, as far as coaches go, you and only you are responsible for your team's performance.
Even so you have to make sure that you and your coaches are presenting a united front and that you don't confuse your players with conflicting approaches. If you and your pitching coach have different ideas you have to decide how you are going to handle those differences before you start working with the players.
In the long run, as far as coaches go, you and only you are responsible for your team's performance.
I like to hire my assistants for a specific role, but that isn't always possible. Last year, I had a hitting coach (student teacher, former player at Valpo), bench coach (veteran teacher and baseball coach in the area), and an assistant (former player at the school from years back, in charge of scouting and field issues). Tough to find good help, but I think that assistants must compliment the program while implementing the program. I expect my assistants to understand our program philosophy and to use it in everything they do.
I also think every assistant needs a role...something that they take a personal stake in. Doesn't mean the head coach doesn't oversee the role (depending on the experience and background of the assistant), but I think every person, player or coach, needs to know what they bring to the team.
Anyone that is willing to be a volunteer assistant should be appreciated and well taken care of...it is a tough job with no pay. Great assistants can make a huge difference, though....I wish I had more good ones to go along with the group I already have!
I also think every assistant needs a role...something that they take a personal stake in. Doesn't mean the head coach doesn't oversee the role (depending on the experience and background of the assistant), but I think every person, player or coach, needs to know what they bring to the team.
Anyone that is willing to be a volunteer assistant should be appreciated and well taken care of...it is a tough job with no pay. Great assistants can make a huge difference, though....I wish I had more good ones to go along with the group I already have!
Coach and teach the game. Give the Head Coach honest feedback about players and game situations. Disagree in private when you do not agree and then support the final decision of the Head Coach 100%. Implement and instruct the fundementals that the Head Coach wants to be taught. When the day comes that you can not do that find another job do not destroy the program from within. Im not saying be a yes man. Im saying stand up for what you believe in but do it in private between the coaches. Then be willing to except the decision of the Head Coach and be willing to support that decision. And then if you can not do that find another job. You must respect the Head Coaches ability and posistion. You dont have to agree with him just support him. Ive always said that a great coach is a great coach because of the people that he surrounds himself with. The role of his staff is to give him honest feedback and to coach and teach the system that the Head Coach wants to be taught.
Bingo.
Some great responses! THANKS! My thoughts:
The reason for this topic is that I’ve had several (more than 5) coaches stop by recently and talk baseball. Each coach had a different opinion of what they wanted out of their assistants. A couple of guys left me thinking that they aren’t really preparing their assistants in any manner to become head coaches someday. Any program represents the ideas of the Head Coach. Simply stated, that isn’t enough! A successful program is nurtured and fed through effort, love and heartache from everyone involved in the program. My assistants are expected to demonstrate the same devotion that I do. They must understand that we have an overriding purpose larger than winning or losing. It is the total package of what we help produce in our players. Our program will be an extension of the classroom of life. Winning is a by-product of what we teach, coach, and believe in.
• What I expect form my assistants:
o Loyalty (#1 with me!)
o Passion
o Duty
o Knowledge (Hands on) of some facet of the game where they can step in and improve our player’s games. Also, ability to learn what they don’t know.
o Shoulder a portion of the burden. While I believe I was extremely prepared to be a head coach, I never realized how much paperwork is involved with being a head coach. NOTE - I will deal with any parent problems at any level.
I don’t expect my assistant coaches to match my devotion during the off-season since they have multiple responsibilities. I can take care of the weight program and plyometrics. My varsity assistant has stepped up and taken much of the burden off of me by helping out all off-season long with the weight-room. Thursday of this week marks the 60 time we have met starting at 6:15 in the morning in our off-season program.
I want my assistants to take an active role in practice and come to practice with a practice plan. I learned this from the Legendary Tom Pile. Coach Pile wanted his assistants to operate as if they were head coaches but also knowing that he would step in if he didn’t like something or if we had too much on the plate for a practice. (I was always guilty of having too many items on my plate!) I want them to understand that I’m giving them a responsibility each practice and for for the year and that they need thick skin for the good of the program when I step in and change directions. For all of this, I could not have served under a better coach than Coach Pile!
Finally, we want our Assistant Coaches to understand our/my true strength!
Our greatest strength is our opponent’s greatest weakness! WORK ETHIC!
We demonstrate this by creating a Motto (Excellence is EXPECTED!) and by reinforcing everything we do via “sayings!”
REPETITION IS NO FUN BUT IT’S THE REASON WE HAVE WON.
TAKE ONE DAY OFF AND YOU KNOW IT. TAKE TWO DAYS OFF AND YOUR OPPONENT KNOWS IT. TAKE THREE DAYS OFF AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT.
IT’S NOT WHAT YOU TEACH, IT’S WHAT YOU EMPHASIZE. Emphasis will be placed on dedication, hard work and commitment.
If the Sun’s Still Shining, TRIAD’S STILL PRACTICING!
As always, all of this is JUST MY HUMBLE OPINION!
The reason for this topic is that I’ve had several (more than 5) coaches stop by recently and talk baseball. Each coach had a different opinion of what they wanted out of their assistants. A couple of guys left me thinking that they aren’t really preparing their assistants in any manner to become head coaches someday. Any program represents the ideas of the Head Coach. Simply stated, that isn’t enough! A successful program is nurtured and fed through effort, love and heartache from everyone involved in the program. My assistants are expected to demonstrate the same devotion that I do. They must understand that we have an overriding purpose larger than winning or losing. It is the total package of what we help produce in our players. Our program will be an extension of the classroom of life. Winning is a by-product of what we teach, coach, and believe in.
• What I expect form my assistants:
o Loyalty (#1 with me!)
o Passion
o Duty
o Knowledge (Hands on) of some facet of the game where they can step in and improve our player’s games. Also, ability to learn what they don’t know.
o Shoulder a portion of the burden. While I believe I was extremely prepared to be a head coach, I never realized how much paperwork is involved with being a head coach. NOTE - I will deal with any parent problems at any level.
I don’t expect my assistant coaches to match my devotion during the off-season since they have multiple responsibilities. I can take care of the weight program and plyometrics. My varsity assistant has stepped up and taken much of the burden off of me by helping out all off-season long with the weight-room. Thursday of this week marks the 60 time we have met starting at 6:15 in the morning in our off-season program.
I want my assistants to take an active role in practice and come to practice with a practice plan. I learned this from the Legendary Tom Pile. Coach Pile wanted his assistants to operate as if they were head coaches but also knowing that he would step in if he didn’t like something or if we had too much on the plate for a practice. (I was always guilty of having too many items on my plate!) I want them to understand that I’m giving them a responsibility each practice and for for the year and that they need thick skin for the good of the program when I step in and change directions. For all of this, I could not have served under a better coach than Coach Pile!
Finally, we want our Assistant Coaches to understand our/my true strength!
Our greatest strength is our opponent’s greatest weakness! WORK ETHIC!
We demonstrate this by creating a Motto (Excellence is EXPECTED!) and by reinforcing everything we do via “sayings!”
REPETITION IS NO FUN BUT IT’S THE REASON WE HAVE WON.
TAKE ONE DAY OFF AND YOU KNOW IT. TAKE TWO DAYS OFF AND YOUR OPPONENT KNOWS IT. TAKE THREE DAYS OFF AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT.
IT’S NOT WHAT YOU TEACH, IT’S WHAT YOU EMPHASIZE. Emphasis will be placed on dedication, hard work and commitment.
If the Sun’s Still Shining, TRIAD’S STILL PRACTICING!
As always, all of this is JUST MY HUMBLE OPINION!
