Youth Coaching Basics

One of the first things a youth coach should do is determine what his/her coaching philosophy is going to be. In other words, what type of a coach are you going to be? Will you be a motivator, a delegator, a dictator, a players coach, a yeller, or some combination of all of these. Your style will dictate how your team will respond to you. The next thought process should be around how you will get your message across to your players. Be aware that you must tailor your coaching techniques and tactics to the age level and group that you will be working with. The younger the age group the more patient and nourishing you will need to be. If this is not your strong suit then make sure you get older players that won't require as much coddling.

Write down your philosophy and keep it in a place where you can easily get to it. Periodically revisit it to make sure that you are staying in character or check to see if your philosophy has changed. If it has changed, it's ok, it happens. Time, experience, and increased knowledge can change the lens that we view our approach through. Just keep your eye on the ball and remember why you got into coaching in the first place. You are in for a great ride, enjoy it.