Between the Preseason Coaches’ Meeting and Post-Evaluation Session

One of the many agenda items for the preseason coaches’ meeting should be an explanation of how and why coaching evaluations are conducted. It is vitally important that your staff understands that victories, or lack thereof, are not the basis of this appraisal process, and you should present exactly what is expected of your coaches before the season starts. Therefore, the evaluation process starts with the preseason meeting.

Obviously, the last step is the evaluation meeting with the coach to discuss his or her appraisal at the conclusion of the season. In this session, you highlight the many positive, exemplary things that a coach did on behalf of the student-athletes. Also, you should cover a few items that may need attention and improvement. These shortcomings should be included in an Improvement Action Plan that details specific, concrete ways to achieve these objectives, and it should also include a date by when everything needs to be completed.

When you consider these two book-end steps in the process, it might logically bring about a question. What does or should an athletic administrator do in between these two normal, standard meetings to help the school’s coaches? Perhaps, some administrators only get involved if there is a specific, obvious problem. Is this a good approach, and if not, what should you do?

In a word or two, you should be proactive and intervene if needed. Some might call this mentoring, or guidance, or maybe it comes under the heading of tutoring. Regardless of the term that is used, an athletic administrator should oversee, supervise, and offer assistance between the preseason meeting and the end-of-season evaluation session. Specifically, the athletic director should be involved in the following situations, if they exist or if they could arise.

• Whenever there is or may be a risk to the health and safety of student-athletes, you can’t wait to cover these items for the first time in the evaluation meeting. It is vital to help the coach to make necessary changes immediately. This should include making sure coaches check the playing surface – field, court or gym – prior to practice, inspect equipment, follow heat and cold weather parameters, educate athletes with regard to stimulant and steroid abuse, and many additional related issues.

• For any situations that may cause a problem with Title IX compliance, step in and head off a potential problem. This could happen when a coach uses donated or fundraising money to purchase items for a team that are not also available and provided for female teams, scheduling modes of transportation that are more elaborate and expensive than that of the corresponding female teams, or countless other examples. Whenever you become aware of actions or situations that don’t meet standards for compliance, don’t wait. Step in, advise the coach and make the corrections.

• If state association regulations or state legislation are not being followed, this too needs immediate attention. If these standards are not properly followed, there are usually ramifications such as late fees, penalties, disqualification or other designated actions. Help the coach to take care of the oversights or mistakes before they reach this critical stage.

• When there is an incident with sportsmanship at a contest, schedule a meeting the following day with the coach, and clearly review your standards and expectations. Also, firmly establish that what occurred is unacceptable and explain that improvement is required. In addition, you will also want to provide advice as to how the coach can educate and provide supervision for his or her athletes.

• Some leagues and state associations have provisions in which athletes or coaches must sit out a designated number of games for infractions with sportsmanship. Make sure that your coach understands the penalties and remind the coach that there will be further ramifications if there is ever another problem.

• In the event of any communication or interactions by coaches with student-athletes, parents or colleagues that are inappropriate, waiting until the evaluation meeting is not, and should not be, an option. You need to provide hints and parameters as soon as possible to head off potential problems and to ensure that a professional approach is always employed. Since communication skills may not always be inherent or natural for some, coaches may require your guidance.

• If there is ever an issue with hazing or bullying – and this would also include cyberbullying – you have to immediately intervene, investigate and take action. In addition, you have to continually educate your coaching staff with regard to these issues, and provide them with acceptable bonding activities for their teams.

• Very much like the issues with hazing and bullying, inappropriate and harmful use of social media is another area that needs your attention. This should not be interpreted that you need to monitor the sites of your coaches and athletes, but you should provide them with guidelines for proper usage, and also explain how these mediums can be dangerous. Administrators have to assume the key educational and proactive role to prevent problems, and this effort does not end at the completion of the preseason meeting.

• If your district does not have protocols in place restricting the length of practice sessions, athletic administrators need to remind coaches that student-athletes are students first. They have homework, need nutritional meals, sufficient sleep, and they also have families and other interests. Also, it would be wise to develop a policy if you don’t have one, and these steps or reminders cannot wait until the postseason evaluation meeting.

It should not be assumed that these examples are all-inclusive, because they are not. In most settings, there can be any number of other times and situations in which you should intervene and provide assistance. After all, a major part of your job is to help your coaches to grow, develop and improve. Some may argue that this is actually the most important responsibly that you have. Why? Your coaches come in direct contact with student-athletes and have enormous impact upon them. This makes these individuals a critically important piece of the education-based formula.