What are schools looking for when hiring a coach?

Question one "Are, or can you be,a good football asst. coach?" Second is "Will you do whatever the football coach tells you to do even when not football season?"

This is just my guess based on comments I've seen posted here over the years and I'm sure not very helpful so I'll shut up now....

Get your certification in math and/or science and you can have almost any job you want ...Do not get a P.E. CERTIFICATE...I repeat, no P.E.

Other than that, start out as an assistant, build a network and fond a place you are happy and settle down.

Yeah I know that math and science are high need areas right now...unfortunately math is not my strong point and it would be tough for me to get through college with all the math requirements for that. So I am currently in 4-8 language arts and history. I am going to take the social studies composite test for high school which would then allow me to also teach all high school history, geography, economics, government, psychology, and sociology. So i figured that even though the job market is a lot tougher for Language Arts and History, that this would provide me will quite a bit of options as far as teaching goes. I am still just curious if they want coaching minors or any type of specialty coaching classes?

Forget the coaching classes, they are nice, but not necessary. The head coach at whatever school hires you will train you to do things the way he wants.

Playing experience at the college level helps, but is not necessary. See the above paragraph.

If you are going the social studies route, get the composite. This makes you very marketable to schools on the teaching side of it.

The part about doing whatever the football coach telling you what to do year round, is very accurate, unless you are a head coach of another sport. I could go on about campus coordinator-head baseball coach relations at length, but this is not the thread for it .

Networking is the name of the game! Make sure you join THSCA. Their website is great and the job board has lots of jobs listed with the teaching fields needed.

Good luck to you.

FD is right, all the training you will need will come from your head coach. Hopefully you can get a good head "baseball" coach to learn under because that will make a world of difference.

If possible check and see if Sherman is looking for an assistant if you want to learn the proper way to coach the game.

Thanks for all the input!!

Txbball, fortunately i have had the opportunity to play for FD for a year I soaked up all i could while I had the chance!!!

But yes Sherman would be a nice job

Aggie,

I know who you are, and when you get out of school, let me know. I'll help you get a job and hopefully, it will be with me!!! PM me and I'll get you my cell if you need it! Good luck down in Aggieland!!!

That, aggie, is called networking and taking advantage of your connections. Good work and good luck in school.

Here are the variables that dictate your likelihood of landing a job (my experience):
1) Connections/Network (40%)– this business is all about AD/AC/HC relationships (looks like you’ve found a good guy to have on your side)
2) Teaching Cert. (25%) – you may be the ideal candidate, but if you aren’t “highly qualified” in the content area that’s paired w/ the coaching position, good luck.
3) Knowledge/Background (20%) – you must be able to bring something significant to the table that is tough to find in an average candidate; what differentiates you from every other applicant?
4) Timing (10%) - there is something to be said about being in the right place at the right time
5) Luck (5%)
Everything that has been mentioned previously regarding being “pro football” is absolutely true. Be a great football coach and doors tend to open a bit sooner then they would for the guy who goes through the motions during the fall and talks only of baseball in the field house.
Having come to DFW from out of state, knowing very few local coaches, I found that the order of importance was 2,4,3,5,1 . I wasn’t asked a single baseball knowledge- based question during any of 3 interviews with head FB coaches/AC’s. Take that for what it’s worth.

Lastly, if you've got someone who is credible and connected and willing to go to bat for you, you've got a leg up on the competition. Good luck

Thank y'all for all the advice and support!!!


God Bless and Gig'em!!