If you want to coach, you have to coach...anywhere, anyone.

If being a head coach is important to you, apply every season for some sort of better job, keep moving up.


I coached HS football for 20 years. I did 3 years of FRESHMEN before I got to be a VARSITY assistant. I was a position coach for 2 years and then got promoted to Special Teams coordinator. I got canned from that (because I sucked at it) and then 5 more years before I got the chance to be a defensive coordinator.

Coaching is brutal. If you have a spouse, make sure she understands the commitment. If you don't, dating is tough in season.

When you have kids, it's crazy. Expect to hear things like "We don't see Daddy much during <insert season name here>." Some guys can pull it off but I hung the whistle up before my wife stabbed me.

Lot's of fun, super rewarding, not easy....

Posted by Trentonjoe on 2/27/2017 5:23:00 PM (view original):
If you want to coach, you have to coach...anywhere, anyone.

If being a head coach is important to you, apply every season for some sort of better job, keep moving up.


I coached HS football for 20 years. I did 3 years of FRESHMEN before I got to be a VARSITY assistant. I was a position coach for 2 years and then got promoted to Special Teams coordinator. I got canned from that (because I sucked at it) and then 5 more years before I got the chance to be a defensive coordinator.

Coaching is brutal. If you have a spouse, make sure she understands the commitment. If you don't, dating is tough in season.

When you have kids, it's crazy. Expect to hear things like "We don't see Daddy much during <insert season name here>." Some guys can pull it off but I hung the whistle up before my wife stabbed me.

Lot's of fun, super rewarding, not easy....

You are not kidding on the stress it puts on the home front Trenton -- I warned my wife before we were married that she was marrying a coach, which meant that even if we didn't have kids, that she was going to find herself with MANY kids, and those kids were going to keep me awake and out of the house a lot. I told her it meant we might never "settle down" until retirement because each year would likely involve looking for better places and/or the threat that an administrative or funding change completely changed the outlook on the job I had and/or whether I have it. I tried to make it sound as ominous as possible (even though it really was just honest disclosure of what my life is like every year).

It's a crazy life, but fun, rewarding, annoying, infuriating and, yes, fun. Really.

Posted by ardthomp on 2/27/2017 3:16:00 PM (view original):
OP, just curious, how old are you? This "fast track" seems a little naive to me.

Here are some things to help get your foot in the door:

Work your butt off on practice plans, how to run drills (this will be huge), game plans, Xs and Os, study study study game film, know advanced stats (never know if a coach likes them or not), be personable, have a coaching voice (command respect when speaking, but not demanding), take little to no pay to start, volunteer for everything, scout, network (but don't sneak around), ask questions, go to coaching clinics, and then hope an opportunity lands in your lap.

Coaching is a grind and if you aren't 100% into it, it won't be worth the time or effort.

Good luck

I suggested the option of student manager if possible. Not many would consider a coach with little or no experience, but the student manager can even sometimes earn scholarship money. Gets your foot in the door. Of course you pick up towels, sweep the gym.... but you see the way that coach runs a program from the inside.

And the part about little or no pay to start is very true. My first season in the Big Ten, I earned $6,000.

Posted by tompkinsaj on 2/27/2017 5:09:00 PM (view original):
Find the best local AAU coach you can reach and volunteer to help, even if it is filling water bottles.

I am thinking about going middle school level. Here you don't need a degree to coach middle school and that's the level I have played at and won a championship.

Posted by CoachWard95 on 2/27/2017 6:32:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tompkinsaj on 2/27/2017 5:09:00 PM (view original):
Find the best local AAU coach you can reach and volunteer to help, even if it is filling water bottles.

I am thinking about going middle school level. Here you don't need a degree to coach middle school and that's the level I have played at and won a championship.

I think this is the greatest post I've ever read.

.....

.... I find myself conflicted. I think ward has his heart in the right place, but his head is no where it needs to be. I wish him luck, but don't know if we should wish him on the middle school kids he'd be coaching............... Think of the kids, man.........

Randy Brown coaching camp tip #1: Always go middle school.

Ha. Good luck man. Where I grew up (Madison, WI) we didn't even have sports in middle school, so all my 6th-8th grade basketball was through the local YMCA. But to coach, you should try to coach. I wouldn't go lower than 7th grade though....I am coaching rec for my son's team and man, it is hard to teach a 9 year old anything.

Posted by reinsel on 2/27/2017 10:34:00 PM (view original):
Ha. Good luck man. Where I grew up (Madison, WI) we didn't even have sports in middle school, so all my 6th-8th grade basketball was through the local YMCA. But to coach, you should try to coach. I wouldn't go lower than 7th grade though....I am coaching rec for my son's team and man, it is hard to teach a 9 year old anything.

I volunteered for my youth football in my local community and won a championship as a sub coach first year. That sucks not having sports in middle school... Our's is only 7th grade and 8th grade. I played 8th grade year my final year also won a championship. I almost failed the grade but I already took English once and they made me took English twice since they didn't have any classes left.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Ward is the best thing about these forums.

1. check the hiring rules in local high school districts. In some places, teachers "in the building" get priority opportunities for coaching vcancies

Even someone who is temporary substitute like a semester can get priority for a job

if teaching is a career in which you are interested, coaching high school through that path can be great - but very demanding

2. consider coaching other sports

experience at coaching is value - to enhance your skills and develop your resume for administrators

Gary Williams - former champion maryland coach - tells the story of his first job - at the high school level, where he was going to coach hoops but the budget opening was for soccer so he was hired for the soccer slot and also to coach hoops

.

Yes, I would also like an update here.

Posted by tkimble on 2/27/2017 9:25:00 PM (view original):

Posted by CoachWard95 on 2/27/2017 6:32:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tompkinsaj on 2/27/2017 5:09:00 PM (view original):
Find the best local AAU coach you can reach and volunteer to help, even if it is filling water bottles.

I am thinking about going middle school level. Here you don't need a degree to coach middle school and that's the level I have played at and won a championship.

I think this is the greatest post I've ever read.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GUaok2zGgg