How to Coach High School Field Hockey
Field hockey is one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States. Becoming a high school field hockey coach is an excellent way to be a part of the sport's growing following. Aside from improving yourself, you can also positively influence the lives of the young women you coach.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Challenging
Instructions
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Know the Sport
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1
Watch as many high school games as possible. Many high schools have scheduled field hockey game times. Find their schedules through your local newspaper, attending games and taking notes.
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2
Attend coaching camps. Find them on the USA Field Hockey website (see Resources below). USA Field Hockey runs annual coaching camps and seminars to introduce new coaches to field hockey.
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3
Familiarize yourself with the rules, strategies and principles of field hockey. There are some solid books available on the subject. Check for them on eBay or Amazon.
Get a Job
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1
Locate open coaching positions. Newspaper sports sections will often display jobs. The USA Field Hockey website also has a section devoted to coaching positions throughout the United States.
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2
Use the knowledge you've gained by studying the game to formulate a plan for impressing employers. Exhibit your knowledge, love of the game and desire to teach.
Get Ready for the Season
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1
Know your opponents. Finding game tapes may be difficult, but call other coaches to learn about the known strengths and weaknesses of your opponents.
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2
Limit your practices. Overloading your players is not only unfair to them, but it can also adversely affect them during games.
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3
Practice with your team. By being on the field with his or her players, a coach can inspire a very powerful team-to-coach bond.
Succeed in Games
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1
Get smart with your substitutions. By knowing everything about your players, like how quickly team members tire, you can maximize the effects of your substitutions on the energy and performance of the team.
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2
Listen to your assistants and your players. Since they're out there on the field, your players should have a pretty good sense of the flow of the game, assisting you in calling well-timed plays.
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3
Manage the emotions of your team. Overly emotional teams tend to be very reckless and sloppy.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Keep your cool at all times. In many cases, your players will be new to the game and will need time to learn its nuances. Plus, many players react poorly to coaches who rely too much on yelling and belittling.
Don't over-stress the importance of any single, regular-season game. This is especially true with high school students, as they can be fragile and prone to exhibiting emotional distress.
