How to make the leap to being a hands-on assistant

As an assistant coach, I believe you need to step up and throw yourself into it. Once you do, you’ll do it again and again.

It is fine to observe and take ideas from the head coach - that’s the whole idea of starting out as an assistant, to learn from them as a mentor.

But make sure you always provide something in every session and be heard; this can just be some supportive comments to individuals or even taking a player aside and helping them work on their technique.

If you keep quiet every session and hide, think of how the players might view you? They won’t come to you when they need help, they look for confidence in a coach to fuel their own confidence and this comes through communication and being approachable. 

Simple support from other staff at the club can actually be detrimental in the development of an assistant coach.

While it is no bad thing to offer a supportive and comfortable environment, you need to challenge people to leave their comfort zone.

There isn’t much incentive for people to reach new heights of performance if they aren’t challenged. It is, however, important to gradually introduce this challenge and allow the assistant coach to be the catalyst for the steps they are taking.

Lots of positive feedback and reassurance from the head coach is so important as, more often than not, it is not the players’ responses that assistants are concerned about, it is the head coach.

Also, it is useful to enable the assistant coach to reflect on the head coach’s session – what went well? How would you progress it? What would you do differently?

Questions like these enable the assistant coach to step up and contribute their own ideas to the team and will help encourage them to offer more down the track.

 

"Do not be a clone of your mentor, take what you need and form your own philosophy..."

My advice to all assistant coaches is to observe and learn for a few weeks, pick out ideas and techniques that work for you and ask the questions. Once you feel confident enough in putting together your own session plan, take the leap and get yourself out there.

You do not grow when you are inside your comfort zone. It is important to remember that every single coach is different - that is what makes the coaching world so exciting and the reason it is forever developing.

Do not be a clone of your mentor - they may do certain things which you don’t agree with. Take what you need from each mentor and form your own philosophy and approach to the coaching world.

You will come across a lot of coaches, some good, some great and some which you may not agree with. Trust your values and the ideas will come.

Coach education is also very important. Take part in the courses, make connections, and build networks. You never stop learning in the coaching world.

Whether it’s a grassroots course or a pro license, coaching courses not only offer you curriculum-based education but you also meet other people on a similar path to you, and can share ideas and learn from them. 
Teach these coaches something and show the confidence behind all your ideas.

At the end of the day, there are so many different approaches to coaching - just back yourself and what you can do. Others will then feed off that energy and support you.

As an assistant coach there is so much room for growth and development, but it is up to you to make that first step in getting yourself out there.