How do i get started in coaching at the hich school level. My background is strength & conditioning, track & field. Local paper ads? hotjobs.com? word of mouth?
thanx
In my local paper, they have high-school “classifieds” in the high school section of the Sports section. It lists all the positions or games/tournaments a school is in need of. You might try looking there.
>Mark
Check the state high school league website for your particular state of interest. In addition, many states have a high school track & field website that covers meet results, honor rolls, etc but these sites sometimes have links to coaching openings.
Call/contact a.d.'s or existing coaches of schools you think you would like to coach at. Track coach positions are pretty easy to come by since there is usually nobody in the wings to try to take your spot should you not have success. You have to be pretty bad to be fired as a high school track coach, too. In many cases, other coaches or a.d.'s will be relieved that there is actually someone interested in coaching track. I’m sure this is not completely true in all areas but I think you’ll find it is no real problem getting a track coaching position. Many football or basketball coaching situations are very different as many people MIGHT vie for the same position. There are almost always certain event groups within track teams/programs that are neglected and a head coach might enjoy having somebody willing to coach that event group. Sometimes, however, it might be for little or no pay-volunteer-but you might accept it just to get your foot in the door and get experience to either move on to other school or get paid at same school after you prove your worth and/or willingness to stick around. Many track coaches are in and then gone within one year.
“There are almost always certain event groups within track teams/programs that are neglected and a head coach might enjoy having somebody willing to coach that event group”. ???
could you elaborate on this?
Reverse it. I interview schools and let the best one hire me. Beg for a job and find your self waiting by the phone.
Many events go neglected in track and field programs. It often depends upon the focus of the head coach(or lack of focus). There are many schools, that I am familiar with, that don’t have a coach for jumpers for long and triple jumpers and therefore they recieve very little event specific work/training. If a program can find a coach willing and interested in working with an event group that is currently not receiving much attention, they are often relieved or pleased that someone is “taking up the slack.” I know of a couple of good college programs that have some very good field event performers in lj, tj, hj and throws but virtually no attention(due to the coaches’ background or lack of experience in said group) is paid to p.v.
THANX SO MUCH GUYS
Can you give me an idea of what college programs? I moving to your state pretty soon!