Good assistant coaches can contribute greatly to your team. Bad assistant coaches can ruin almost everything you are trying to do. If you get a bad assistant coach, get rid of them right away. The discomfort you go through in getting rid of the assistant will be far less than the pain you will experience if you keep them.
Signs of a bad coach include:
- They tell you where their child should play.
- They think their child is an outstanding player when the child is average.
- They believe they know much more about how the game should be played than you do.
- They complain about what a bad job you are doing to the other player’s parents.
- They undercut your authority with the players by contradicting you behind your back.
- They get obviously angry at the game officials and let it be known loudly.
- They are willing to break league rules to give their child a better chance to win or gain some award.
- They get angry at the players for errors or poor performance.
- They object whenever they child is removed from the game.
- They use tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs in front of the players.
- They come to a game or practice under the influence of drugs.
- They insist on special privileges for their child.
Signs of a good assistant coach include:
1. They are always a little early to practice or games.
2. If they cannot be at a practice or game they warn you ahead of time.
3. They learn what techniques you are teaching (team doctrine) and teach that also.
4. When they think you are in error they tell you privately, give their reasons, then go with your decision whether they have changed your mind or not.
5. They set an example of good sportsmanship before the team during games.
6. They frequently compliment the players for good plays and for good effort.
7. They don’t just stand and watch during practices, they actually coach.
8. They look for things to do to help and do them without being told.
9. They treat all the players about the same so you cannot tell which child is theirs by how they treat them.
How to get rid of a bad assistant.
First you begin recruiting someone to replace them if you will not have enough coaches without them. Then you have a private talk with the bad assistant spelling out in as simple terms as possible what they are doing that you do not like. Keep your cool even if they do not. Ask them to change their ways and indicate that you will have to replace them if they do not.
If this fails to have an immediate effect in improving their practice and/or game behavior, notify the league officials that you intend to replace the assistant and give them the reasons why you are taking such a step. Describe for them the actual behavior that you object to and what efforts you have made to get the assistant to change their behavior. The reason for contacting the league officials is to get their support for replacing the assistant. Bad assistants are the kind of people that will try to cause trouble for you with the league if they do not get their way. Warning the league of your intentions will make it easier for them to support you.
Do not give the assistant more than one chance to change their ways. You don’t have time to reform an adult that you see only 2-3 times a week and every time they are with the players they are hurting the team. Remember that your duty is to protect the players not the parents or coaches egos.
If the former assistant pulls their child off the team there is nothing you can do so don’t even argue with them. If you get the chance to talk to the child privately tell them that you are disappointed they could not stay with the team. Remember that they are not responsible for their parent’s behavior and attitudes.
Coach’s Kids
As much as possible the children of the coach should be treated just like all the other players. Where possible, if you have a child on the team, try to have an assistant correct their errors. It is best when the assistants don’t coach their own children. Parents should be able to give praise and support to their players with all the criticism coming from the coach. The parent should “see no evil” in their child’s play. If there is something they would like to correct they can tell a coach and let the coach tell the player what to change.