We mandate that all our coaches hold a coaching license. There are no exceptions even if one is a former professional player. The reason is simple.
Coaching is about teaching. Teaching the game is different than playing the game. Coaching requires a different skill set than a player.
Coaching is a multi-disciplinary profession that requires a variety of skills. A coach must understand issues pertaining to child development, motivation, leadership, confidence, social interaction, expectations management, and effective communication.
A coach must understand these issues in the context of working with each player. This requires a coach to employ some of the following skills.
* Meticulously plan and execute an effective age appropriate practice.
* Meticulously plan a series of practices building towards a specific learning objective.
* Ability to take a complex topic and break it into small chunks of information
* Ability to paint the picture in the most concise manner possible for children
Developing these skills requires that a coach recieve specialized training. The specialized training comes in the form of coaching licenses and continuing coaching education.
Granted, all our coaches are former players. However, a player does not worry about the issues that coaches worry about. Coaches require a different skill set.
As coaches, we aim to provide the best learning environment for each player.
Coaching education and coaching courses help develop a coach's skills which in turn improves the learning environment for each player.
Our coaches do not show up to the field and make things up as we go. Everything is planned in advance. Practices over X number of weeks build up towards a central theme.
Coaching courses teach coaches how to teach. Coaching courses have nothing to do with reading a book or taking an online course.
To earn the coaching license, a coach must pass a variety of tests at the end of a coaching course.
At the courses, coaches spend their time understanding teaching methodology. In addition, coaches spend time running actual practices
in front of the instructors and getting feedback. This feedback is a valuable component to becoming a better coach.
At the end of the course, coaches are graded on their ability to teach. The final exam is running a practice in front of the instructor.
In order to earn the license, the coach must earn a passing grade.
In the mid to late 2000s, some of the coaching courses for the "C" and "B" license had high failure rates.
If one failed the course, a coach could do a makeup test 6-9 months after failing the original test.
Since we had email addresses of all the coaches at these courses, we performed a poll and found that the failure rate was roughly 66% in the late 2000s.
In the mid to late 2000s, the courses were physically and mentally demanding. Coaches would spend 8 to 12 hours outdoors each day on top of homework assignments.
Some of the courses take as long as 10 straight days to complete with precourse and postcourse homework assignments.
The format of coaching courses since the mid 2010s has changed.
