This article by Bruce E. Brown is an excerpt from the Proactive Coaching booklet "Youth Coaching: 4 Keys to a Successful Season." It argues that a coach's success is in direct proportion to planning and teaching ability, identifies eight critical points during a season, and gives detailed principles for planning effective practices — from establishing the best learning environment and sequencing drills, to making drills competitive and purposeful, to a coach's own planning checklist for continued learning.
Planning
The most important factors in team improvement are attention, effort, your teaching ability and use of practice time.
Your success or failure as a coach will be in direct proportion to planning and teaching ability. Good coaches plan – great coaches plan every detail.
Eight Critical Points During the Season
- Making a commitment to coaching for the season
- The first meeting with your team and parents
- The first practice