The Job Description of a Head Football Coach
A head football coach is someone who organizes and directs a football team. That includes everyone from the players to scouts to water boy to assistant coaches. The head football coach plans and organizes practice, calls plays during games, gives motivational pre-game and halftime speeches and is expected to give his team the best chance possible to win. Depending on the level at which his team plays, he may wash uniforms and drive the bus.
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Basics
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Head football coaches at all levels adopt a system and game plan for their team to utilize. Some run a "wide-open" offense that concentrates on the passing game. Some prefer to keep the ball on the ground via the running game, while others might leave the offense to a coordinator and place their own focus on defense and special teams (and vice versa). It's up to the head football coach to put each individual player in a position in which he will be most successful. Head football coaches recruit players, analyze game film and find ways to correct problem areas.
Traits
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A head football coach must possess strong communication and problem-solving skills, and be highly organized and innovative. He needs to have the ability to motivate and delegate, and understand how to improve both individual players and the team as a whole. He should also own good analytical skills, as he spends a lot of time observing obstacles (and opponents) and how his team can overcome them.
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Background
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There are no set requirements to become a head football coach. Most start at the elementary, middle school or junior varsity level, often working their way up as they gain experience. Almost all high school and college coaches need to have obtained a bachelor's degree. But education isn't always as important as experience when it comes to landing a head coaching job. Most athletic directors and National Football League (NFL) general managers only care about wins and losses.
Prospects
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Jobs for coaches in all sports was expected to increase 23 percent from 2008 to 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That is faster rate than for all other occupations. While the BLS provided no data specific for football coaches, as long as there are Pee Wee, college and NFL teams, new jobs are certain to arise each year.
Earnings
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Head football coaches at the major college level earned from $375,000 to $5 million per year in 2010, according to America's Best Online. Meanwhile, NFL coaches typically make no less than $1 million per year, and can make as much as $6 million per year. Salaries for football coaches at all other levels vary greatly, and are entirely dependent upon the program they are running.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit football image by sonya etchison from Fotolia.com
