RateMyCoaches Blog

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Sibling Rivalries?

With all the hype surrounding the Harbaugh-bowl, or Harbowl, or BroBowl, whatever you want to call it, I got to thinking how many other brothers have gotten the chance to put their sibling rivalries on full display in front of thousands of cheering fans. I only came up with four (including the Harbaughs), but if you know any others please share!

Immediately, the brother duos that came to my mind were the Van Gundy brothers, who both coached in the NBA. While Jeff might be more famous for his brawl with the Heat at the Garden his older brother Stan seemed to have more success during his coaching career. I know numbers don’t tell the whole story but Stan had a better winning percentage than Jeff in both regular and post season play. Stan also outlived his younger brother in the NBA making it to 2012 as the head coach of the Orlando Magic.

  Next up are the Stoop brothers who have been made famous by oldest brother Bob Stoops, head coach at University of Oklahoma since 1999. In his second year as a head coach, he won the BCS National Championship game. Quite different than the Harbaughs, the Stoops like to work with each other, not against them. All three brothers (Bob, Mike, Mark) have worked together in some aspect at some point in their careers. Mike was the only one to ever play in the NFL, even if it was as a replacement, but he is now currently the defensive coordinator at University of Oklahoma with his brother. Mark, the youngest brother recently was hired as the University of Kentucky’s head coach. Unfortunately for him none of the other siblings are looking for coaching jobs, he’ll have to fend for himself for now.

  It is only fitting to end with the pair that got us here in the first place. Jim and John Harbaugh are possibly the most famous brothers right now. They are not only coaching against each other, which they have done before, they are coached against each other on America’s biggest sports stage, the Super Bowl. If you just look at it at face value, John probably holds the bigger grudge. Jim was the more athletic one, Jim stole John’s starting QB job in high school as a sophomore, and Jim played in the NFL for 14 seasons. Jim also got a head coaching job before John, after John had been coaching for 14 years. But like any good sibling rivalry I’m sure Jim has some gripes with John, simply because he is older. Younger brothers, especially ones that close in age always are trying to one up, and this could be a great time for the perfect one up!

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Winter Workout Tips

With the weather getting considerably colder in most parts of the country we cannot just forget about fitness.  Finding your beach body in April or May will be easier if you stick to a routine in January through March.  Here are some useful tips you can try to prepare for and succeed at exercising in the winter.

First, if you are going to be going outside, make sure to check the temperature.  The National Safety Council says it’s safe to exercise outside in temperatures as low as 20 degrees with up to a 30 mph wind, but you must be wearing proper clothing.  Proper clothing should be breathable and layered.  If you begin to sweat too much you risk getting colder and layers will allow you to remove clothing as you heat up without exposing your skin to the elements.

Exposure can not only lead to things like frostbite or hypothermia but also a sun burn. Just because it is winter doesn’t mean you cannot get burnt and if you are running by snow the sun can be more powerful due to reflection, so remember to wear sunscreen if you are going to be out for a while.

As is normal whenever you start a new regimen you should talk to your doctor first and make sure you can handle working out in cold temperatures.  If you have breathing difficulties or asthma, the cold can heighten these problems and exercising could actually do more harm than good.

Finally, change it up.  Winter provides opportunities to do other forms of exercise than are not available other times of the year, and you might not think of as exercise.  Downhill skiing, ice skating, and cross country skiing are all great alternatives to running that offer a change of pace but still will burn calories.  As for me, I’m just going to stay in the gym till it heats up.

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Stay Fit During the Holidays

As much as everyone loves the holidays, one thing we can all agree on is that it is very difficult to maintain your weight and eat healthy during this season.  Starting with Thanksgiving and going right through until January 1st, there are countless opportunities to indulge and over eat.  Here are some ideas on how to stay, at least a little bit, healthier this holiday season.

I think the key to staying healthy during the holiday season starts with two main factors: first off, maintain your workout routine.  The worst thing you can do is eat unhealthy AND stop exercising, so make sure you keep some sort of daily exercise part of your routine.  This will allow you a little more wiggle room when it comes to calories.  Secondly eat a high fiber breakfast on the days you know you will be going to an event where you will be tempted to splurge.  Fiber and protein keep you full longer and are usually healthier options.  Some examples could be oatmeal with walnuts, yogurt with almonds and berries, or some whole wheat toast and peanut butter.  The worst thing you could do would be to “save” your calories until you go out. This will usually cause you to over compensate for your hunger or nerves and put you at high risk of eating too much.

Now that you have prepared yourself for an event and you get there and they have enough food to feed an Indian tribe!  This is where some strategy comes in.  First, start off by taking as many vegetables and lean protein options as you can, then with the remaining room on your plate you can take small portions of the unhealthier options - remember it’s all about moderation.  Lastly, only take one trip! Have one plate and be done.

You will inevitably be drinking but you need to remember that if you drink on an empty stomach, you will get drunk quicker and that will lead you to make bad decisions.  I’m not talking about the bad decisions we made in college, I’m talking about the bad decisions of taking three cream puffs or polishing off the cheese platter.  While those acts are fun at the time, you will regret it tomorrow, just like those vodka shots you did with Uncle Gary.

One last tip would be to socialize.  These events are there for people to mingle and talk and coincidentally the more you talk the less you can eat and drink. So enjoy yourself this holiday season, but do so in a way that you will still be able to enjoy yourself in January as well!

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3 Important Tips for Coaching Youth or High School Sports

There are countless benefits for young athletes who participate in youth or high school sports. The activity involved in most sports gives them enough exercise to help them burn fat and stay healthy. It is also a good way for athletes to make new friends and to learn how to work well with others in group settings. If you are a coach, you have a pretty tough job. It is your responsibility to not only teach fundamentals of your chosen sport, but to also play a large role in helping to shape the character of those who are on your team. There are a few things you should know and keep in mind about coaching that will help you to be effective in carrying out your duties.

  One of the first things you need to do in order to be a successful youth or high school sports coach is to be an expert in the sport you are coaching. You need to know the rules and regulations of the sport as well as being an expert in the skills needed to play the sport. Your team members will be depending on you to help them learn proper techniques so that they are done right and can avoid injuring themselves or others. You cannot be an effective coach if you are not an expert in that which you are attempting to teach your kids.  (My definition of expert is to obtain the knowledge and experience required to teach proper techniques and fundamentals).

  Another critical tip for being a good youth or high school sports coach focuses on organization. You need to have a plan and to keep things orderly and organized if you plan on being a successful team. This means keeping practices organized and orderly. Young athletes need to have structure in order to thrive. This means that you have a full schedule of practice dates made up on a calendar to give to team members and their parents. It also means that you create structured practices so team members know what to expect each time they show up for practice.

  Finally, you need to be a youth or high school sports coach that is looking out for the best interest of each athlete on the team. You want to do your best to equip them with the skills they will need both on the rink/court/field and off the rink/court/field so that you can prepare them for their future. This will shape how they interact with authority figures outside of their parents for years to come.

  The Coach’s Corner

  Mario Sousa

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The Winner of the Athletes' Choice Awards is Announced: Casey Vogel!!!

After narrowing down all the coach nominations we received, the RateMyCoaches staff published the list of finalists for coach of the year. Based on submitted statements from players of nominated coaches, we've come to a decision on the winner.

Congratulations to Casey Vogel of Wisconsin Impact for winning the 1st annual Athletes’ Choice Awards.  As a winner, Casey received some cool goodies and swag.  When asked how she felt about winning, Casey gave us a statement via email: "I can't believe I got nominated by one of my players, let alone win RateMyCoach's Coach of The Year Award! Thanks so much to my players! I do it all for them. I still can't believe it!"

You can visit Casey’s page on RMC at

http://www.ratemycoaches.com/coach.php?id=3992&name=coach-casey-vogel

RateMyCoaches is thankful to all those athletes and parents who participated in this year’s contest.  It is because of you the idea of bringing direct feedback to coaches works.

Good luck to everyone in the upcoming winter sports season and keep rating!

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Athletes’ Choice Award Nominees Are Announced

The Athletes’ Choice Award was set up to find the best sports coach in America.  Athletes were able to nominate their coach for the Award and win some cool goodies and swag.  Our staff whittled down all of your great nominations to seven top coaches. The decisions weren't easy, as all of you responded so positively. Finalists are listed below.  Thanks for your nominations and the winner will be announced in two weeks!

·         Sandra Andreini

·         James Davis

·         Felicia Ford

·         Christine Giunta-Mayer

·         Elaina LaMacchia

·         Mark Monaco

·         Casey Vogel

Stay tuned for the winner!

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Fall Workout Tips

Just because the leaves and weather are changing does not mean your waistline has to as well.  Many people tend to give up in the battle of the bulge come fall because they figure it’s the time of the year for lounging around watching football and wearing baggy sweat clothes – do not be one of these people. Stick to a workout plan and save yourself some time and stress come next spring. Here are some tips to help you get through the fall season without having to break in a new notch on the belt.

First off, you need to be willing to accept a change in your routine from summer and spring. The days are going to get shorter and it is going to get colder so you are most likely going to need to move your exercising indoors. Do make sure to take advantage of every opportunity you have to get outdoors, but be prepared to move your regimen inside and remember if you are going to go outside to layer up. In addition, since it gets dark earlier you will need to wear brighter or reflective clothing. You will need to get used to working out with the sun down which can put a huge damper on your motivation.

Another tip I found to be useful, even though I do not employ it myself, is getting a workout DVD. Fall could be the perfect time to tryout “P90X”, or “Abs of Steel,” because you can do it in the comfort and warmth of your home without needing to go outside when the weather might not be as welcoming. It also allows you to skip any commute you may have to your gym when you are looking for excuses to skip.

This leads me into my next point of switching up your attack plan and workout strategy. You’ve probably been doing the same kind of workout all summer long and it is possible your body may have adapted to it. Now is the time to switch it up and “shock” your body. You should see results from this new plan quicker and it will take away from the monotony of doing the same thing.

Finally, since the motivation to work out will become weaker, you need to make sure you at least have the energy to workout because we all know the last thing we need is one more excuse to not workout. In order to do this you should eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible throughout the day. They keep you more full for longer and give you energy that will last throughout the day. And do not forget to stay hydrated. Just because the temperature are dropping doesn’t mean you cannot get dehydrated.  Good luck this fall!

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The Coach and the Safety of Athletes: Ethical and Legal Issues

Professor Matt Mitten, Director of the National Sports Law Institute at Marquette University Law School, has an article forthcoming in the journal Ethics and Coaching.  The article, entitled The Coach and the Safety of Athletes: Ethical and Legal Standards, examines a coach's legal duty to protect his or her athletes at various levels of competition, ranging from youth to college.  The article's abstract is included below, along with a link to the article's SSRN page if you are interested in downloading the article.

Regardless of the level of athletic competition, a coach is not an insurer of an athlete’s safety and is not necessarily liable for injuries that occur while coaching a sport. Although coaches generally are not liable for athlete injuries that are ‘‘part of the game,’’ there is potential legal liability if a coach’s action or inaction increases the inherent risks of injury in a sport. To recover damages for an injury, an athlete is required to prove tortious (i.e., wrongful) action or inaction by a coach caused his injury. This chapter provides an overview of the developing law regarding the nature and scope of a coach’s duty to protect the health and safety of athletes participating in youth and high school sports (who generally are minors entrusted to coaches’ custodial care) or college sports (who generally are adults that do not have a custodial relationship with their coaches) and illustrates a coach’s ethical obligation to do so. It also notes that state statutes and judicial decisions may immunize coaches at public educational institutions from liability for negligence that causes injury to athletes, and that pre-injury releases and waivers may protect both private and public school coaches from liability for their negligence.

http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2088091##

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5 Qualities of a Good Coach

We are proud to announce another guest blogger - Mario Sousa from the Coach's Corner. The Coach's Corner is a social networking website for all Youth & High School Sports. This is a free membership site to help all athletes, parents, coaches and organizational leaders involved in Youth & High School Sports worldwide.

  TheCoachsCorner.com provides a support community, where everyone can network, share, and find the information they need, when they need it. Link to old friends, colleagues and make new contacts in the Youth & High School Sports world.

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Coaching is demanding due to the time and effort required. Coaching requires many technical and personal skills in addition to a sound coaching philosophy.  It involves planning to win and learning from defeat.  As a coach, you have the responsibility of teaching the skills of the game but, more importantly, a good coach understands building relationships with each player as a person first, and as an athlete second.

  These responsibilities require that you assume various roles to effectively get the job done, both on and off the playing surface.  This is what makes coaching such a dynamic and challenging profession. Rewards include the development of athlete’s physical, mental, emotional, and social skills, and the opportunity of participating, having fun and learning to work together for a common goal.

  All good coaches have certain qualities that allow them to perform effectively. These qualities include dedication, enthusiasm, the ability to teach and lead, the ability to communicate effectively, good planning and organizational skills, and knowledge of the sport.

  Dedication

  Good coaches are dedicated to their coaching. The time involved in coaching can range from a minimum of 5 to more than 10 hours for each one-hour game played, and this does not include driving to the game and practices or any additional time spent coordinating with players, parents or the league.

  Enthusiasm

  The coach is a role model, he should realize the importance of this position and be aware of the effect that he has on the players, parents, officials, and the general community. That effect is positive when the coach adds enthusiasm and humor to the dedication.

  The ability to teach and lead

  A coach is a teacher and must have an understanding of basic learning principals and teaching techniques. If a coach perceives himself as an educator first and foremost, many positive things will occur for the players both on and off the playing surface. Coaches have a tremendous influence on young athletes. Players form attitudes and values based on the behaviors of the coach. A coach’s behavior will set an example for what is acceptable and unacceptable. Take those opportunities to teach and lead your players and foster a sense of respect, honesty and competition.

    The ability to communicate effectively

  For the coach to be an effective communicator, he must understand his players and be able to relate to them. Not understanding the player’s motives and real concerns is one of the major reasons for breakdown in the coach-player relationship. Effective communication between the coach and players is essential for a good relationship, and a player should feel that the coach is approachable.

  Good planning and organizational skills

  Just as each coach asks his players to be prepared, the coach should also be prepared through the execution of the proper planning and organizational skills.  If the coach is not very effective at either of these skills, make sure that an assistant coach is because it’s important. As the team progresses through the season, many events need to occur.  Coordination of tryouts, practices, games, tournaments and playoffs requires that the coach or assistant decide what needs to be done and why, how it should be done, who should do it, and when and where it will occur. A well organized coach gives the players and parents confidence and pride in the team.

  Knowledge of the sport

  The effective coach needs to understand what is involved in the sport they are coaching. This includes knowledge of the rules, specific sport strategies and the development of the players being coached. A thorough coach will continually read, observe and use any methods at his disposal to further his knowledge of the sport. Other good ideas include attending coaching clinics, watching coaching videos, taking coaching certifications and observing other coaches to learn and utilize applicable techniques and strategies.

  The Coach’s Corner

  Mario Sousa

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Keep the Resume True

I don’t know how avidly everyone follows college basketball, but a story I heard just blew my mind. Doug Martin, not this one, an assistant coach at Villanova University was recently let go due to a huge lie on his resume. Of course that lie is not referred to as an “inaccuracy,” but we all know these kinds of inaccuracies don’t happen accidentally, they are meant to be there.

According to a statement released by the university, Martin lied about a four-year career at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, a career that never happened. He doesn’t stop there either. He goes on to say that he was the captain of the team he was never on. Jeff Nordgaard, the real captain of that team, said he never played with anyone with that name, the coach of that team said he never had anyone on the team with that name, and the UW-Green Bay’s director of athletic communications said in the media guides from those seasons the name Doug Martin appears nowhere. So clearly he never played there and the fact he thought he could get away with it is astounding. 

When I heard this I immediately thought of George O’Leary who got caught lying on his resume in 2001 after he got hired as the head coach in 2001. I guess some people really have to learn the hard way though. If in 2001 it only took days to fact check these kinds of things, why would Mr. Martin think it wouldn’t take and more than 30 minutes to find that information today. An elementary school age child would probably be able to find this information.

I think the point I am really trying to make is why people lie on resumes at all - especially when it is something that can be found by searching the internet. A skill may be easier to hide, but you would think that eventually it would become obvious you don’t really possess that skill. I think this just goes to prove that even though we have unlimited knowledge available to us at all times, we may not actually be becoming smarter, thanks to the internet.

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Olympic Fun Facts

In keeping with the Olympic theme I figured I’d do some research and find out some interesting facts about the Olympic Games, both summer and winter. Here are some of the one I found to be most interesting;

-       The first modern Olympic Summer Games was held in 1896 in Greece, while the first Winter Olympic Games was held in Chamonix, France in 1924.

-       The country with the most medals in the Winter Games is Norway (263) while the country with the most medals in the Summer Games is the good ole USA with 2,189.

-       The Olympic Flag has five rings which represent the major regions of the world- Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceana, and every countries flag in the world uses at least one of the five colors (blue, yellow, black, green, and red).

-       Up until 1994, the Olympics were held every four years, with both the Summer and Winter Games being held the same year.

-       The first time the Olympics were covered by a U.S. television company was in the 1960 Rome Games.

-       The first Olympic Games to be televised were the 1936 Berlin Games.

-       Three continents have never hosted an Olympics (Africa, South America, and Antarctica), and no country in the Southern Hemisphere has ever hosted a Winter Games.

-       The most countries to ever participate in an Olympics were 202 at the 2004 Games in Athens.

-       Four athletes have won medals at both the Winter and Summer Games, Eddie Eagan (United States), Jacob Tullin Thams (Norway), Christa Luding-Rothenburger (East Germany), and Clara Hughes (Canada).

-       At the 1904 Paris Games the winners were awarded paintings instead of medals because the French thought they artwork would be more valuable.

-       The first woman to light the Olympic Flame at the opening ceremony was Mexican hurdler Norma Basilio at the 1968 Mexico City Games.

-       The only sports to be in every Summer Games were Cycling, Fencing, Gymnastics, Shooting, Swimming, Weightlifting, and Wrestling. Tennis was an original sport but was removed for 60 years (1928-1988).

-       The first twins to win Gold were Gustaf Vilhelm Carlberg and Gustaf Eric Carlberg of Sweden, who were competitors in the 30 meter Dueling Pistol shooting event.

-       There was once a sport in the Olympics that involved shooting a live pigeon.

-       The “tradition” of relaying the Olympic torch from Olympic Greece to the Olympic Stadium is not an ancient tradition. It was started in 1936 by Carl Diem, during the early years of the Third Reich.

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What to Watch

We’re going to take a little break from coaching for a bit because with the Olympic Games Opening Ceremonies having just passed and I would like to prepare myself for the coming month or so of non-stop sports.  If you haven’t already, make sure to check out the Olympic TV schedule, it is extremely useful and will give you sport specific times, as well as allow to look it the schedule by each day.  Personally I will be looking forward to watching the swimming meets, the sprints, and of course basketball. Unfortunately for me, I like to watch the events that take no more than a couple of minutes to complete, with the exception of basketball.  So what other sports out there could you use to entertain yourself for the duration of the games? Let me help!

First off I’d like to say this list could also probably be called, “Things I Did When I Was A Kid But Was Told I Could Never Do It For The Rest Of My Life.”  And to lead it off is the little known Olympic sport of Trampolining.  If you’re wondering how bouncing on a trampoline could be a professional activity, look here.  I just want to say I am little upset that I was told I was to big to go on the trampoline in high school, because clearly all I needed was more practice.

Next up is everyone’s favorite gym class activity, archery.  One of the oldest Olympic sports, I find it calming to watch someone carefully aim their deadly bow down range and fire it off around 60 MPH.  If the Mayans were right, I want to find an Olympic archer to be friends with.

Badminton, probably everyone’s second favorite gym class activity, is another good one to watch.  I like to watch it just to hear the announcer say “shuttlecock,” but that’s just me.  And if badminton isn’t on, you can never go wrong with Table Tennis.  I think you will have a new respect for these games after you see them played at the Olympics. All I have to say is, FAST.

And now to round things off with a little fun fact to think of while you’re watching the games.  Tug-o-war was an Olympic sport until 1920.  Before that tug-o-war clubs were allowed to enter the Olympics.  Hope you enjoy the Olympics as much as I do, and go USA!

[ratemycoaches]

Coaching Younger Kids

I have been an athlete since I was 3 years old.  I had many coaches growing up while playing hockey, baseball and football and I can honestly say that each one of them did a terrific job of coaching myself and my teammates.  I think it can be a struggle for coaches to learn how to coach young kids.  A lot of coaches do not know how to approach it and it takes a bit of time for them to get used to it.  The most important thing in order to be successful coaching younger kids is to have a substantial knowledge of the fundamentals of the game.   When kids learn the fundamentals it gives them the opportunity to improve.  When kids improve they have more fun and enjoy playing that much more.  Which bring me to the second most important thing, making sure the kids have fun.  You don't want to be the coach that had some players stop playing the next season because they did not enjoy it.  Keep practices fun and teach simple fundamentals and the rest should take care of itself.  At the end of the season the coach should look back at every single one of his players and see if they had fun and improved their game.  If so, that coach did his job very well.

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Tech Tips to Teach

With the world constantly changing and technology becoming more and more incorporated in our lives, there is no reason it should be left off the court.  As a coach, you can embrace technology and use it to make your life and job easier.  Here are a few tips on how you can infuse technology with coaching.

Most schools nowadays are using technology in the classroom in some way, shape, or form.  Whether it’s smart boards, clickers, or tablets, kids are learning differently than when you were in school.  As a coach, you can make it easier on the kids and yourself if you use the same technology they utilize in school.  I’m not saying go out and buy this equipment, but see if you can borrow a classroom or tablet to show exactly what your talking about - it will make the coaching process easier and more visual.

Having a central place where everyone involved can get the required information is something that can also be very beneficial.  A team website, forum, or blog could be used to update practice times, upload scouting reports, workouts, or the even play book as well as required release and consent forms.  The days of showing up with a thick binder and printed schedules are gone.  By using the internet, you are able to control who can see what, as well as monitor who has seen what. Setting up a website is extremely easy, requires little upkeep, and can be very cheap or free!  Using this simple trick can save you headaches and some paper.

When I played sports we used to set up phone trees, in which the coach would call one person, and that person would then call someone, and on and on until everyone was called.  This is unnecessary today due to texting and emails.  You can send one mass message to an entire team, all parents, and other coaches.  Make sure you setup boundaries though; make it clear to everyone that texts are used for informational purposes only, not as a way of informing you of an absence or for conversations or small talk.  Also, avoid using text messages to have important conversations with your players.  Send a message, keep it short and sweet, and be done with it.  Face to face conversations are always more important than a text with a smiley face :)

Finally, use social media as a way of informing the masses, and especially your fans of what is going on.  If you’re unfamiliar with these tools, you might have the help of a young assistant, but definitely set up a Facebook page and a Twitter account.  They’re free and people love to “like” or “follow” you.  Once you build a group of followers, your message will reach further.

These technology techniques can be especially useful in the offseason where interaction between players and coaches is not as frequent.  Whether you implement all, or just some these tips, they are sure to make your job easier.

Listed below are a few apps you can download for a tablet or smart phone that will make coaching much easier.

http://www.appbrain.com/app/basketball-coaching-drills/net.clipboardapps.basketballdrills

http://www.appbrain.com/app/basketball-coach/com.canica.apps.basket

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Don’t Get Mad, Go Man

We’ve all been there before; your team simply is not performing with man-to-man defense so we think we can get by zone defense. And while you may be able to hide some weak defensive players inside a zone defense, a good team will find and exploit those weak players.

Obviously, players need to learn zone at some point in their career, and while I am a proponent of zone defense, a player’s fundamental skill of being able to guard a man should not be compromised in order to help a junior varsity or recreational team win games. These levels are where players are supposed to be taught how to play the right way. Therefore, little time should be spent on teaching zone and more time should be spent on teaching and drilling man-to-man defense.

Let’s face it; zone is pretty darn easy to teach. I’ve taught it to 3rd graders but only as part of the learning curve. I also incorporated it into games as part of the learning curve because these kids were still learning the game, but our specialty was man-to-man. If you cannot win the battle with the guy in front of you, playing basketball at any level will be difficult.  This is what playing man to man teaches you.

  If, early on in a season, you find out that your team is weak in man-to-man, do not abandon the technique - strengthen it. There might be some ugly games that are a result of you sticking with the strategy, but in the long run your players will become better defenders and in turn better basketball players.

[ratemycoaches]

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

When a coach starts, especially at a junior level, it can be intimidating. Even if the kids are much younger, getting and keeping their respect can be a difficult task. Because these kids are young, they still look for adult guidance and especially like to be treated with respect. That is why ruling a team with an iron fist is probably not the best strategy. A coach needs to be able to find the middle ground where he/she can be a coach and a friend.

I feel like these ideas are common sense, but everyone knows what they say about common sense these days - it’s not that common. First, always look players in the eyes when speaking. Whether it’s individually or as a group this is important and it is something I always remember my coaches doing. Let players speak too, and listen!

Also, make sure as a coach you speak clearly and use words that are not going to confuse or make players feel as if they do not know what they are doing. Usually the best way to say something is to use the least amount of words.

Nothing is more important than being honest with a team. All good relationships are built on trust and if a coach is dishonest with players, they will return the favor. If a coach promises something and players hold up their end, make sure as a coach you hold your end too.

Finally, remember that a coach’s job is to make better players and better people. At the high school and below levels especially, winning is not everything and it should not be treated like as such. Reward good behavior and decisions, and educate from bad ones. It is really quite easy to gain players respect; they want to give it to their coach. Just go about it the right way. 

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Do Not Yell At Refs!

A coach is a role model for the members of a team. The players look up to their coach and will most likely imitate him/her. If as a coach you are constantly yelling at the refs, what kind of example are you setting? We have all seen this at one point in our life when a coach is constantly harassing the refs about this call and that call. And we all know that this harassment does not get the coach any calls, if anything it probably gets calls for the other team or no calls at all.  So when coaching, remember these things before any jawing at a ref about a call.

When a coach is focused on yelling at the refs he/she cannot be fully focused on coaching the team, and in reality that is what he/she should be doing. Also if a coach is always yelling when he/she goes to ask a sincere question he/she runs the risk of the ref not talking to him/her because of the yelling. Finally, if players are watching, they are going to play like that particular coach and that in turn could lead the refs beginning to make calls the other way, which in turn will only make the coach angrier, and I think you see where this cycle is going. So make sure to respect the officials and they will do the same.

“How,” you might ask, “do I get along with the officials?” Great question! First, especially since most refs are on a circuit is that if a team is home, make sure the ref is as comfortable as possible. Make sure the coach instructs the fan base to be polite with the referees and one will see there is such a thing as the hometown call. Second is getting to know the ref before the game. While a coach’s team is warming up, talk with them, get their names, and maybe joke around with them. The coach will make a connection with the ref and in the game he/she can use the refs name, instead of “hey” or “you”.

Obviously, a coach is not going to agree with every call - if something needs to be argued, be assertive in a non-aggressive manner. Do not yell, but make sure to bring up the point and the ref will be more likely to listen than if a coach is constantly berating the ref with disapproval.

And finally, treat referees with respect. They are humans just like coaches, and they do make mistakes. If that particular ref really blew a call, I’m sure they know it; a coach does not need to remind them. All in all, remember everyone is there to have fun and a coach’s family or life does not depend on any particular game. Do not let the competition get the best of you!