Training Coaches, Part 2

There are three important components to institute in the training of a coaching staff:

1. Spiritual
2. Physical
3. Technical

Why the physical component? It's easy to understand the necessity of spiritual training, and certainly some technical training. But we're talking about the coaches here, not the athletes. So why the physical component? That's a viable question, and here's my opinion: I Timothy 4:8 speaks to the value of bodily exercise as well as the overriding importance of godliness. So that's one thing---there is value to physical exercise. Secondly, coaches need to be role models in all aspects of their presence. Hey, the simple reality is, if a coach who is in woeful physical shape is exhorting his/her athletes to "work harder", "go the extra mile", "get in shape", "out-condition your opponent", "be physically disciplined", it has less impact and meaning than a coach who models those values and traits. Look at it this way: Are you going to take financial advice from someone who can't manage their money, doesn't know an IRA from an annuity, and has no financial training? Aren't you more apt to listen to a professional who exhibits the knowledge and understanding that gives you confidence? How confident would you feel if your financial advisor showed up to a meeting about your financial future dressed in shorts and flip-flops? Don't you feel better if you believe the person advising you absolutely knows what they are talking about--to the point that you can "see it" in them? Trust me, the same is true when it comes to an athlete listening to a coach and fully buying in to what is being demanded and taught.

So do you train coaches physically? That's not too practical, but I believe you should make sure your coaches understand the value of physical training to their effectiveness as a coach.

The spiritual aspects of training encompass several areas that I will explore in the next several posts--Motivation, Excellence, Relationships, and Discipline.

Training Coaches

One of the biggest problems in Christian school athletics is the lack of qualified coaches. Ideally, coaching slots would be filled "in-house" with teachers and staff members. Most often, however, many coaching positions are filled from outside the school with parents or other interested applicants. That necessity poses a big problem for the Christian school. How do you get everyone on the same page philosophically and spiritually, and how do you ensure your coaches know what they are doing in terms of coaching theory and practice?

The first step in building a quality Christian program, is to have a clearly defined philosophy built on the principles of the ministry. This starts with leadership. Any sports ministry--church or school--requires good leadership. The leader of the athletic ministry must be able to train, evaluate, exhort, correct, and minister to his/her staff of coaches. When necessary, the leader must dismiss coaches who are not committed to the ministry philosophy in word and action. It is critical to the success of the program for every coach to see him/herself as an extension of the sports ministry philosophy, and to take responsibility for the physical and spiritual training of their team members.

Before you train them, you need to hire coaches who meet the following criteria:

• Committed to the philosophy of the school/church/ministry
• Supportive of, and submissive to the leadership of the athletic program
• Led (called) by Christ to serve in this aspect of the ministry
• Ability to publicly verbalize their faith in Jesus Christ
• Committed to leading and shepherding their athletes
• Competent (to some degree) in theory and practice of coaching

In the next few days, I will break down what I consider to be the critical components of  an athletic ministry philosophy, as well as the primary elements of training a coaching staff.