Selecting a Coach
How to Interview a Prospective Coach
Many of you are winding down your season around the country, and are preparing for next year. For many of you, this means "tryouts". If you are trying out for a recreational team this may be as easy as showing up and signing up. If you are trying out for a competitive team, you may be playing against dozens of other players all vying for the same few spots. We accept and acknowledge this process as necessary, because that's the way it's done. How many parents and players out there have ever put a prospective team's coach through a tryout? We don't mean having them run endlessly while chasing a small white and black ball - although that might be fun! We are talking about talking to the coach to find out what you can expect from him or her and the club. What kind of practices do they run? Do they scrimmage a lot? Do they already have a fixed opinion of where your daughter fits in on the field? How many players are going to be on the team? How much playing time can my daughter expect, as a starter or as a sub? What formation does the coach like to run? If the coach can't give you reasonable answers to these questions, answers you can live with, tryout somewhere else and repeat the "question and answer phase" with that coach as well. Some areas of the country do not have many clubs to choose from, and in those areas it will be tougher to "shop around". Other areas of the country have so many clubs you may wonder how they can all field a team in your daughter's age group. If you can, talk to players and parents who played for a coach last year or the year before that. How did they like playing for this coach? And the big question: Was their player a better player at the end of the year than they were when they got there? If the coach can't make a player better in a year, they are not who I want my daughter to play for.
While interviewing a prospective coach may seem odd to you, remember the investment of time and money you, as parents, are making in this arrangement. Add to this the fact that you are placing your child with this individual for several hours a week. This person is going to be a mentor to your child, and responsible for her safety in many cases. It is not a choice we should make lightly. We encourage you to give your decision on where daughter plays due consideration. It is less important that your daughter be qualified to play for a coach, than it is that the coach be qualified to coach your daughter. Good luck this upcoming tryout season. Kids - play hard and have fun. Parents - ask questions, and enjoy watching your daughter playing "the beautiful game".
A SoccerDivas Staff Article