The role of the coach. The responsibilites of a coach. The education of a coach. It’s an important function and voluntary outside of the professional ranks.
Many people don’t realize the vast amount of hours coaches devote to helping young people. But maybe it’s also time that school Boards, who tend to look at them as performing a baby-sitting role with after classroom supervision at sports, take these individuals more seriously.
When a coach steps up to represent a school, take responsibility for students, that coach should be capable and qualified. Enough of the teachers who stand around looking like they know how to coach, when they lack the skills.
If it means shutting down certain teams, so be it. But there could be a way of avoiding this kind of action.
Changes need to be made and reviews of insurance coverage too. When a student gets hurt in a game, and injuries do happen, I’ve seen coaches cringe. Not just at the injured athlete, but at possible legal action.
So much money is being spent at school professional development sessions, maybe school boards and organizations like the Ontario Physical and Health Education Association and the Ontario Federation of Schools Athletic Association need to do some homework and come up with programs to recruit coaches, then educate them and follow-up to ensure that the voluntary job is getting done - the right way.
A coach who knows his or her function should also be in a position to deal with athletes who can get out control, escalate tensions in a game or even create serious problems.
This Sunday, on the FAN’s HIGH SCHOOL SHOW, a variety of guests will examine the important, and also sensitive, role of a coach. Listen in - 9am to 10a.m.
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