Coaching is a difficult career. You should not try to do it alone. Build yourself a network of support to help. This support crew can help you be more successful and stay in the profession longer.
This article and other helpful coaching tools can be found at Coach Dawn Writes
By Dawn Redd-Kelly, Head Volleyball Coach at Beloit College.
I think most of us know that we shouldn’t operate in a silo, but that ends up happening a lot. As I’m sure won’t surprise you since I write quite a bit about coaching, I try to fight that tide in our department.
Coaching is hard work, yet addictive. Exhilarating, yet soul crushing. Discouraging, yet hopeful. It’s this odd confluence of contradictory actions and emotions…it’s hard to go it alone. But yet, we try. I don’t know if it’s because a coach is new so they don’t want to seem as if they lack knowledge. Or maybe it’s a seasoned coach who doesn’t want to look as if they don’t have all the answers.
My advice? Stop it. We need a crew of people who have our backs.
What should that crew look like?
Seasoned coach: It’s nice to bounce ideas off of other coaches who’ve been in the game for a while. I will talk to any coach of any sport to pick their brains. I always learn something that will help me become better at what I do.
New coach: Look, I’m hesitant to say that I’m an “old” (use air quotes) coach, but I’ve been doing this for a while. A few years ago, I went in to talk to a young assistant football coach and said, “So my players are always on this thing called Snap Chat (I’m sure I said it with a question mark)…do you know what that is?”. After he stopped laughing, he explained and I learned.
Coach in another sport: As you can see from those examples, I’m a huge fan of reaching outside my immediate circle of volleyball coaches. My first year as a head coach, the men’s basketball coach at that school took time to sit down with me whenever I had questions…this man was amazing! The way our team handles scouting reports is still based on his influence all of those years ago.
People who can help us: Having folks higher up on the food chain who will fight for us is important. Cultivate relationships with your boss, your boss’s boss, and anyone on campus who will champion your program and the positive impact of your team.
You don’t have to go it alone…you shouldn’t. Find your crew!