Sport Coach - Personal requirements
Kaiwhakaako Hunga Whakataetae
Skills & knowledge
Sport coaches need to have:
- knowledge of the skills, rules, and tactics of the sport they coach
- coaching and teaching skills that support athlete learning and development
- interpersonal skills that create good relationships and a positive environment
- understanding of the athletes they coach
- leadership skills
- communication skills for demonstrating techniques, questioning, instructing, and giving feedback
- understanding of sport science and first aid
- good planning, management, organisational and information technology skills.
"The biggest thing with coaching is that you don't want people bored. You've got to mix it up." James Molnar - Tennis Coach
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James Molnar demonstrating serving technique to a student
Personal Qualities
Sport coaches need to be:
- fair
- able to motivate, lead, and inspire athletes and teams
- patient and tactful
- enthusiastic
- observant and analytical.
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"You have to be quite perceptive about how you think other people are and will respond. I coach on instinct sometimes in terms of how much pressure I put on players. You've got to be able to read those things." Tony Iro, Assistant Coach, Warriors
Photo courtesy of Photosport
Physical Requirements
Sport coaches need to have good fitness and health, and good skills in the sport they are coaching.
Updated
November 2009
