So…You want to be a youth sports coach in multiple sports? Congratulations! Indeed, this is quite an ambitious and lofty endeavor to pursue, but NOT and impossible one to be sufficiently proficient at doing.
Hi everyone! Coach Paul here! Regardless of whether or not you feel well-versed within different sports disciplines (rules, strategies, skills development for each sport, coaching techniques for each sport, etc.) there is a blueprint of sorts, that you can utilize, that can better prepare you for the task of coaching multiple sports. Keep in mind, that this is simply a small snapshot of things that you can implement, that can point you in the right direction. Nevertheless, this should be pretty good, I think!
Plan And Organize
This one is highly important and it kind of goes without saying, to be frank. As a season of coaching a particular sport moves forward and winds down, other sports that you may be interested in coaching, are always on the horizon. Your cognizance of timing and your ability to keep a literal watchful eye on the calendar, is key to successfully transitioning from coaching one sport to coaching another.
Before your current coaching season is completed, you should begin to create a practice schedule for the new sport whose season is about to begin. Thoroughly manage the schedule of different sports, and balance the workload of your players so they can fully participate in each sport. If it is within your purview as the coach, planning games in advance can help to streamline your coaching transition as well. Build out your basic framework for the upcoming sport, as this will help you remain organized and prepared for that next sport’s unique requirements.
Cross-Training For Your Team(s)
Since we have established in the intro, that youth coaches can utilize many helpful tools to coach in multiple sports, it is the coach’s duty to assist their athletes who desire to go down the multiple sports route as well. As you begin to coach multiple sports, you may quickly find that some of the same youth are playing multiple sports. This is quite normal and encouraged, as it offers youth athletes the ability to condition their whole bodies, by developing different muscle groups that are used in different sports. This will allow them to become a better overall athlete.
As you pursue multi-sport coaching, it is highly recommended that you also emphasize to your athletes, the great importance of cross-training. Encourage your athletes to participate in different sports that will develop strength, balance and athleticism. In doing so, it will not only help them with their performance on the field/court/rink, but it will assist you with being able to coach more effectively, due to their improved physical abilities through cross-training.
Develop Fundamental/Basic Skills
As you immerse yourself into the multi-sport coaching arena, you also want to place a strong emphasis to your multi-sport young athletes, on developing the fundamental/basic skills in every sport in which they wish to play. This can be quite beneficial when performed in both in-season and off-season. When performed in-season, you can contribute a great deal as a coach, when you are able to teach the basics of each sport and how to apply them effectively. With this foundation in place and with this habit being ingrained within your players, you may find that they will be more open to attempting (at the very least) to play additional sports, some of which may even be considered ‘foreign’ to them.
Understand The Physical Limitations Of Your Players
When your players begin to work on their fundamental/basic skills from sport to sport, you must recognize the physical limitations that MIGHT become evident. Certain aspects of gameplay demonstrated by a particular player in basketball, may be totally different from aspects of gameplay in hockey, baseball and football displayed by that same player. For example, a particular player may be stellar at playing a defenseman in hockey, but his ability to play a defensive lineman in football is sub par. That may not be a perfect apples-to-apples comparison, but as you start to understand and appreciate the physical capacities of each athlete, you will be able to tailor your practices and your coaching approach, to match their needs.
Understand Your Coaching Bandwidth
The practice of coaching and the tremendous pride that comes with it, can oftentimes bring about a sense of perfectionism and the feeling of being invincible. Carrying many hats as a coach, can feel like a badge of accomplishment for many people. We WANT to take on those additional responsibilities, for our own fulfillment and hopefully more importantly, for the young people who look up to us as coaches.
With that being said, we must be aware of our own limitations. Are we spending too much time at the field/rink/court, to where our family/personal time are being sacrificed? Is our physical/mental/emotional well-being at risk, due to our various commitments as coaches that have the potential to stretch us to our limits? You must take a multi-sport coaching opportunity very seriously, by first gauging your current life situation and determining whether or not it can be easily integrated into it. Feedback from loved ones can prove VERY valuable as well, and you should encourage that feedback. Having support from your family, when taking on the responsibility of coaching (whether it be with one or multiple sports), can really set your mind at ease and allow you to more readily focus on the upcoming tasks and duties that you will encounter.
Communicate
This coaching responsibility is as universal as it gets. Whether you have a seasoned group of young players, who play various sports under your coaching umbrella or if you have a continuous cycle of novice players whom you are coaching, you must communicate effectively with athletes, their parents, and your assistants. In your desire to create strong and capable athletes across multiple sports disciplines, establishing and maintaining open communication channels with all parties is important, in order for you to stay informed about athletes’ progress and concerns. From here, you can make necessary coaching adjustments in an attempt to accommodate any player(s) who may be struggling in this space.
Analyze Your Performance As A Multi-Sport Coach
Although one of your primary goals as a coach, is to focus on creating competitive young athletes, it is imperative that you also analyze your own performance as a coach. Look deeply within yourself and ask, “What can I do better to be a positive motivator to the youngsters whom I coach?”. In asking that question of yourself, you can assess your methods and adapt to improving your coaching style. Always welcome constructive criticism from outside parties as well. Just keep in mind to toss out the flat-out complaining critiques and focus on the ones that you feel have true merit, to your specific coaching situation. Remember, it is perfectly okay to not be the proverbial “perfect coach”. Simply focus on your continued improvement.
So In Conclusion…
Admittedly, this post only begins to scratch the surface with regard to this topic. There are many additional factors that can and do come into play, when coaching multiple sports. The list can seem endless. What I have compiled are just a few ideas that youth sports coaches who have to juggle between various sports, can utilize to help manage the demands and challenges of multiple sports coaching. It can be an especially exciting time when traveling down this path. Embrace it but have lots of fun doing it! Your players will thank you!
Please feel free to leave a comment below, about this discussion! If not, you can simply say “Hi!”. I like it when people say “Hi!”. And as always…thanks for reading!