Tips for New Sports Coaches

“You can learn off everybody. Sometimes, it will be what to do, and sometimes what not to do.”

If you are a young coach starting out in the sporting world it can be hard to get advice. Everyone has a different opinion on how to best interact with your athletes, their parents and club committees. I had a conversation with a rapidly progressing Hockey Coach, Jessie McCartney about the lessons he has learnt as a coach, both general advice and advice for starting a new role. In the discussion, many of the things he said hit home to me about my own experiences in the sporting world.

1. Control what you can control. Don’t sweat the small things. 

Dale Carnegie’s wisdom continues to be relevant today. Most young coaches have a tendency to micromanage, wanting to have a hand in every aspect of their programs. Whilst you need to be “across” all aspects of your program, the reality is your control can only extend so far before the effort of trying to control everything wears you out. Learning to delegate effectively is a critical skill.