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Coaches Corner

You've been selected as the coach - now what?

The Orem Recreation Department utilizes volunteers as youth coaches. These volunteers are often a parent of one of the participants on the team. A typical scenario has mom or dad registering their kid, and being asked to volunteer as a coach.  Oftentimes, a parent will even sign up to be an assistant coach and then find themselves named the head coach because no other parents volunteered. However you were selected to coach, thank you for being willing to help out. 

Did you know . . . coaches are one of the most influential people in the lives of athletes.  They have the opportunity and the responsibility to teach valuable lessons that can impact the development of a child… for a lifetime.

 

 

 Background Check required

Please fill out the coaches background check my clicking on the link below:

Background Check Form

 

What you can expect from us
  • Trained staff (supervisors, officials & score keepers) – but they aren’t professionals!
  • Fairness & consistency
  • Support of coaches
  • Safety first mentality
  • Concussion Awareness Training
  • Pre-Season coach’s meeting
What we expect of you
  • Make sportsmanship your #1 priority.  “One person practicing sportsmanship is far better than a hundred teaching it.” Knute Rockne

  • Treat game officials with respect at all times

  • Zero tolerance for disrespectful behavior

  • Weekly practices teaching fundamental skills

  • Report suspected concussions to Recreation Staff

MANY FIRST-TIME COACHES FIND THIS ROLE HARDER THAN THEY EXPECTED, SO HERE ARE A FEW TIPS TO EASE MATTERS AND HELP YOUR YOUTH ATHLETES.

PRACTICES

  • Welcome each player by name at every practice and game. When kids arrive to coaches who are smiling and greeting them by name, they feel welcome and positive from the start.
  • Plan practices that keep kids active. When kids are moving and active, they are more likely to stay focused. At the younger ages, avoid lines. Bring plenty of equipment, so kids are not standing around waiting for their turn. Find games/drills that give kids a lot of repeated practice of the skills.  Additional help at practices will assist in keeping the kids active.  Consider having “stations” where a different skill is taught at each one and the kids will rotate through the various stations.
  • Be brief!  Six 60-second conversations with your players at a practice are much better than two 5-minute conversations!  Make the most of the 30-60 seconds you’ve got their attention!  A suggestion: when you’re talking to your athletes, get onto their level (at least physically!) by taking a knee, so you can (literally and figuratively) see eye-to-eye.  And be positive!
  • Pick 1-2 areas of focus per practice/game. You likely only have one hour for your practice. Pick one topic (two at the most!) to introduce and repeat over and over again. At the start of practice you might say, “Today is going to be all about passing.” Then each time you bring the players in, ask them, “What is our focus today?” Then have this same focus for your competition that week. Whenever you see it being executed well, let your players know it, “Milo, awesome pass to Nathan!”
  • End practices/games on a positive note. At the end of practice or a game, call in all of the athletes and the parents. Ask the kids: “Who saw one of your teammates do something well?” The kids are actually good at answering this question. Then ask the parents, “Parents, what did you see that you liked?” This gives the parents a nice chance to recognize specific, positive things they saw, and it ends the practice/competition on a high note.  This would be a great time to review sportsmanship and identify those who exemplified it.
Everything you need to get started as a volunteer coach
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