A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about how a head coach can best interact and manage assistant coaches he or she works with called " A coach among coaches", you can read the article via this link
a-coach-among-coaches.html Today's topic looks at the dynamic between head coach and assistant coaches from the point of view of the assistant. How can someone, who accepts an assistant coaching role, best add value to the group while supporting the head coach. Being an efficient and successful assistant coach requires a delicate balance between ambition and respect for the role. As a coach, you want to work with the athletes, share your knowledge and help them grow but need to stay within the aside role and certainly not overstep your role or contradict the head coach. At best, this will lead to confusion from the athletes, at worst, it will create division as players who the differing opinions. For some sports, the roles and limits of an assistant coach are much easier to determine. If you look at football for example, the roles of the different members of a coaching staff seem to be clearer defined, you have position coaches, offensive, defensive and special team coordinators, and coaches who manage very specific tasks ( scouting, film review, statistics). Baseball is somewhat similar with coaches who specialize in areas like pitching, fielding, hitting, base running etc. However, this is not always the same with teams sports like hockey, soccer and a few others. So it's up to the head coach to determine the roles and the assistants to be use their skill set within the role. Truth be told, I have had limited experience as an assistant coach throughout my coaching career. Prior to starting at Concordia, I spent 5 years as an assistant coach with the National Training Center which really didn't involve coaching a team but rather working on player development for national team hopefuls. It was a great opportunity which allowed me to work with some great athletes and get exposed to a new level of soccer not to mention got my in direct contact with coaches on the national team staffs. It also allowed me to work with someone that to this day I consider a coaching mentor and who helped me develop a certain part of my coaching profile. Twice during my tenure at Concordia, I served as an assistant coach with "Team Canada" at the World University games ( 2009, 2011). Take on an assistant coaching role in these instances served a different role. I allowed me to coach at a level that perhaps I might not have had been able to in a head coach capacity ( for various reasons, none relevant to this post). With hindsight, I probably should have had the confidence to apply as head coach for the 2011 games but at the time, it didn't seem feasible, but again, not relevant to this post. I will say however that in both cases, working in a different capacity, helped me grow as a head coach once I returned with my team. In both cases, I was the assistant coach that players come to see to vent to, complain about decisions, to seek clarification on coaching comments or decisions, etc. In some of the cases, what the players had interpreted from the coach and want I had understand was very different. It reminded me about the importance of communication. As a head coach, we might think our instructions or decisions have been communicated very clearly or players might not ask questions but that doesn't mean that they understood. So as a head coach, when players asked me for feedback or clarification, it was important that the message I gave them was consistent with what the coach was expecting, it was also important to listen to the athletes, but not give them validation which might seem to contradict the head coach. When I speak to young coaches, I was always say that an assistant coach is no less of a coach than the head coach. The main difference is that they are not the final decision maker. So how can an assistant coach be efficient, effective and have an impact on a team while not contradicting the head coach ? I've listed a few below. If you follow these guidelines, you will take some great steps to be a positive, effective and valuable person to both the program and your head coach. 1. Find some way to bring value to the program Take charge of something that needs to be done without the head coach having to delegate it. What needs to be done that you can do? Surely there is something. What are you passionate about and good at doing within the program? I'm a "stats guy." I like numbers and stats. We had a coach who managed the stat girls who is no longer with the program. So, without even asking the head coach his permission, I simply took over this aspect of our program. It's a way that I bring value to the program, and solve a problem: managing the stat girls, ensuring their accuracy, submitting the stats to Max Preps, and keeping our database. 2. Do the little things that need to be done There are so many things that need to happen in every football program. Just one practice holds a list of tasks: hydration, setting up the field, cleaning up the field, supervising the locker room, locking up, putting together the practice schedule, creating the wristbands, communicating with teachers about grades, etc. etc. etc. Who is "in charge" of all of this? The head coach. How does it all happen? The assistants. Take some of these off the plate of the head coach, take ownership of them. Be the guy who gets his hands dirty, no job is too small. 3. Become an expert Another way to put this is: Be a pro! Never stop learning. If you coach defensive backs, become the best defensive backs coach in your league, conference and state. Your head coach wants experts on his staff. You might not be one now, but you can become an expert at coaching your position. The more experts who are on the staff, the better the program will be. 4. Know your role Remember, you are an assistant coach. You are not the head coach. Be careful not to overstep your bounds. Your role is to be a loyal assistant to your boss. You might totally disagree with a part of the program, the direction of the program, how your boss conducts practice. None of that matters! It is not your program. Know your role, accept your role and become great at your role. 5. Don't just be a "yes person" Head coaches don't want all of their coaches to sit around the table saying "yes, yes, yes." They want what is best for the program. They want to improve the program. And they don't always have the answers. This is where assistants come in. When the head coach asks for input, or when the door opens for you to give your input, do it. If you disagree with something, or have an idea to make something better, express that. Just remember, if your boss doesn't like it, he's the boss! 6. Be dependable The last thing that a head coach needs is to babysit his own assistants. If you say that you're going to do something for the program, do it, period. Make it happen. There were not many things more frustrating to me as a head coach as when an assistant tried to take something off my plate, and then either failed to do it, or did a bad job at it. Be on time, be prepared, and leave no doubt in the head coach's head that you will be who you say you will be. 7. Be hungry Take the bull by the horns. Take ownership for the position you're coaching, the side of the ball you're coaching, a special team, fundraising, program management or equipment. Be proactive to make the program better by having an appetite for success! Demonstrate to your boss that you want what is best for the program by taking initiative on a year round basis. Being an assistant coach can be a stepping stone towards a head coaching role in the future, or simply a way to stay involved in coaching without all the pressure of being the final decision maker. Regardless which, a good assistant coach brings value to any team and make the head coach better. As always, just my opinion.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorAfter many years of coaching at various levels and with different teams, I thought I would share some of my experiences and thoughts about coaching. Archives
January 2023
Categories
All
|