If you’ve taken on the responsibility of becoming a sports coach and are looking for a few handy pointers on how to successfully coach a team, simply continue reading!
5 Tips for coaching a sports team:
1. Make sure to be a positive, supportive influence
While part of being a great coach is being able to give your team members constructive criticism, it’s just as important to be a positive, supportive influence. As you’ll find that your team members will be far more responsive to your constructive criticism if you make sure to give frequent compliments to your team members. You want the team to work together and with you. Establishing that team environment from the beginning is key. You can even allow the team to feel more in control and work together by allowing them to help design team shirts and of course you can create your own custom t shirt as the coach as well.
2. Find different ways to effectively teach the individuals in your team
As an example, while the bulk of your team members may be able to improve their skills by listening to helpful tips, other individuals in your team may better respond to metaphors or you physically showing them, what you want them to do. While other team mates may respond well to diagrams on a whiteboard.
One of the keys to being an amazing coach is to be able to tailor your coaching style to suit each of your team members learning styles. So remember, if one form of communication isn’t working, simply try another method of teaching your team members, till you find a method that is effective.
3. Find fun, creative ways to reward your team
As an example, you may want to start a brand new team tradition where you reward your team members for their hard work at practice or a hard earned win with a celebratory meal or drinks. As human beings are rewards focused and if you offer your team rewards, they’ll be likely to work hard in order to obtain the rewards which you’re offering.
Another way to reward your team is to pick a player of the day, each match or game day. You can even set up a points system where each award gives a player one point and that the player who collects the most points at the end of the season, is rewarded with a trophy or a certificate. Or a gift voucher to a local cafe, restaurant or sports store.
4. Don’t over work your team
While regular practices are important if you want your team members to increase their skills and to work cohesively as a team, it’s not a good idea to over work your team as doing so may lead to injuries. Remember that you’re unlikely to win games if you don’t have enough fit team members to field a full team.
5. Begin and end each training sessions with warm ups and stretches
One way to prevent your team from getting injured during practices and games, is to begin and end each training session ad game with at least 10 minutes of warm ups and stretches.
In order to warm up and stretch before each game, it’s also a wise idea to get your team to turn up to your matches at least 30 minutes before their scheduled start times.
So there you have it five simple pointers that will help you become a better sports coach, over night and which will increase your chances of winning as many games as possible.