Modern-Day Coaching Tips

To be a modern-day coach goes beyond registering for your coaching certification or taking the necessary training courses.

Modern-day coaches must stay attuned to the evolving requirements of parents & players and incorporate them into their coaching approach. Rather than having to spend hours scouring the internet for a list of updated coaching requirements, we have compiled 10 modern-day coaching tips for you. Because as an athlete evaluation software, we know players’ and parents’ burning desires when it comes to anything sports-related!

1. Use software to hold evaluations

Looking to save time and reduce the manpower needed when running evaluations? Rather than relying on the old-school pen-and-paper method, use SkillShark’s athlete evaluation app which digitizes (and simplifies) the entire evaluation process.

Downfalls of pen-and-paper forms:

• Hours of manual data entry.
• Stacks of evaluation sheets to sort through.
• Complex calculations to make sense of data. I.e., Configuration of reports.
• Parents questioning evaluation results.

With an athlete evaluation app, gain the following benefits:

• Save heaps of time on administrative tasks. (Capturing scores in minutes and having access to pre-generated reports after any evaluation).
• Consistently capture scores across evaluators & remove biases.
• Make well-informed drafting decisions based on real-time data.
• Share detailed feedback with players & parents through athlete report cards.

2. Keep parents in the loop

With the average family paying $883 annually for one child’s sport, the decision to re-enroll their child in the next season hinges on two factors:

• 1) Is their child enjoying the sport?
• 2) Is their child progressing at a steady pace?

In order to gauge their child’s development throughout the season, parents rely on detailed and timely feedback from coaches. Taking into account the criteria of SMART goals, provide feedback to parents that follows the below:

• Specific- What skill(s) is their child progressing at and which skills need more improvement?
• Measurable- How much has their child improved/ declined on a skill?
  • *Host multiple evaluations, score players, and send reports to help parents visualize their child’s progression.
• Timely- Provide feedback immediately after evaluations. If you are hosting multiple throughout the year, send parents feedback within 1-2 days of the evaluation.

3. Provide athlete feedback

When a coach takes the time to provide feedback on a consistent basis, it helps bridge the gap between an athlete’s expectations vs. their actual performance. This feedback works to steer athletes in a direction toward growth & development, as they know exactly what to work on and why.

There are two important types of feedback to provide: positive and constructive.

Positive feedback examples

Athletes are more likely to hold themselves accountable and strive to master their skills when hard work is recognized and appreciated.

“Your hard work is appreciated and noticed. Keep up the good work on and off the ice. Battle hard and don’t take a minute off.”

“Very consistent in the box. Makes strong contact; starting with hands in a great position and has a good bat path to the ball.”

Constructive feedback examples:

The key to providing constructive feedback is to be specific, actionable, and encouraging.

“Need to work on expanding your dribbling toolbox and creating more 1v1 situations for yourself. You have the ability to do it, just need to work on reading the play to do this.”

“A strong backhand is a good shot to have in your bag. Focus on keeping the puck flat, about 18 inches off the ice, and follow through.”

4. Challenge your players

Understand your players’ strengths and challenge them to take opportunities. When athletes don’t feel challenged, this leads to decreased concentration, motivation, and excitement.

I.e., You have noticed in the last few months that one of your players is excelling at layups and pullups. They are receptive to your feedback and have been consistently putting in the hard work to improve these skills. With this in mind, you make them the point guard on the team for the rest of the season.

Aside from position changes, there are more subtle ways to challenge your players. For instance, suppose one of your forward skaters has been progressing with his wrist shots. You then challenge them to make two wrist shots during the next game.

5. Practice open communication

Athletes might not want to discuss their concerns or challenges with other players close by during or after practices.

The solution? Develop an open-door communication policy to build and maintain healthy discussions between yourself & players. You could host an after-hours clinic for a half hour after each practice where players are encouraged to come to your office to discuss any conflict, frustrations, or self-esteem issues in a personal setting.

6. Make sports fun

Athletes will enroll in sports because they want to develop their skills. And your team’s primary goal is to win as many games & tournaments as possible (although winning isn’t everything). While this is a healthy mentality for players to have, don’t forget to incorporate icebreakers and host team-building activities outside of practices.

For example, organize a team-building activity away from your normal practice spot. A scavenger hunt is one of many great ideas, in which players can compete in teams to complete certain tasks within a certain time frame.

7. Plan ahead

Planning is at the forefront of every successful season. As a coach, you want to identify your objectives for the season and then work backward, planning ahead the steps you need to take to make these goals a reality.

• Game strategies- develop tactics and formations.
• Practice structure- balance skill work and conditioning. *Plan out optimal drills here.
• Meetings- schedule regular meetings after practice to discuss strategy.

*Once your plan is solidified, share this with your athletes. When will after-practice meetings take place? What is the starting lineup?  How many drills will be performed at practice? The more athletes are in the know, the more each player’s effort and commitment improve.

8. Celebrate the small victories

Did a player drastically improve on a skill? Did you tie a tough game? Even if you didn’t win a major tournament, celebrate the small wins! Creating an environment full of recognition shows players that they are contributing to the success of the team.

A celebration can come in the form of a pat on the back, verbal recognition (individually or at a team meeting), a post on your social media page, etc.

9. Encourage teamwork

This might seem like an obvious tip, but if your team doesn’t work together, success won’t happen. Rather than verbalizing the importance of feedback, teach players through “live-action” scenarios.

For instance, set up practice drills that break up athletes into mini teams where they have to work together in order to succeed. Teaching athletes to work together outside of normal practices & games is key.

10. Prioritize safety

Guide warm-ups & stretches, teach players proper technique, and ensure all protective gear (helmets, pads, and mouth guards) are worn to lessen the chance of potential injury. Additionally, ensure you are trained on all safety protocols and first aid in the chance an injury does occur.

Wrapping Up

Whether you are a new or seasoned coach, keep these 10 coaching tips in mind for success. Aside from keeping players and parents happy, these 10 tips will keep you organized, hold you accountable, and enhance your communication.