Last Updated on January 20, 2022

Making Coaching a Career

A career in coaching can be greatly satisfying, fulfilling, challenging, and rewarding.  Top coaches in university or professional athletics stand to make a significant paycheck…but what does it take to get there?

Generally speaking, an undergraduate degree is a bare minimum, and some would argue that a master’s degree will separate you from other candidates.

Sport Psychology and Coaching

Exercise Science and Coaching

How to Get Started with a Career in Coaching

Coaching Salary and Career Outlook

Pros and Cons of a Career in Coaching

FAQs

What kinds of degrees are best for a Career in Coaching?

Many coaches have a degree in Exercise Science, Athletic Training, Physical Education, Kinesiology, or Sports Psychology.  This makes sense as it is vital for a coach to have a good understanding of how the human body can perform its best.  Whether that is physical or mental performance, studying the above fields can help you help athletes to get the most out of themselves.

Sports Psychology and Coaching

Sports Psychology is a growing field, and its prominence is becoming more and more mainstream.  According to Dr. Lindsay Ross-Stewart of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, who recently spoke with Sports Degrees Online:

“…for people who are interested in sports, there is such an advantage to a degree in exercise and sports psychology because it really gives you the knowledge to be an excellent coach.”  In any sport, the mental capacity and ability of players is hugely important.  The ability to recover from injury or a disappointing loss is just as much mental as it is physical.

Dr. Ross-Stewart says that having knowledge in Sports Psychology can give a coach the ability to…

“…help athletes perform their best based on their mental skills…the more elite an athlete gets, the less the physical difference matters..it’s the mental skills that make the difference. So in sports psychology we’re looking at how we can help athletes develop those tools…”

In major sports leagues and NCAA sports teams, there is more of an emphasis on mental training compared to past decades.  On this point, Dr. Ross-Stewart had this to say– “…more and more, mental training is being understood as just as necessary a component (as athletic training) of a high-performance model.”

Exercise Science/Kinesiology and Coaching

For college and professional level coaches, a large part of their job is training athletes in the offseason.  While they do not need to focus on the day to day of managing rosters, playing time, or reviewing film for upcoming games, more time and energy is focused on getting athletes physically and mentally prepared for the upcoming season.  Knowing how the body works, how to train muscles in an effective and efficient way, and best practices to prevent injuries, is a hugely important skill that many successful coaches possess.

Athletic Training and Coaching

Almost all sports teams have an athletic trainer or a conditioning coach. Dr. Tina Davlin-Pater of Xavier University, who was recently interviewed by Sports Degrees Online, spoke about the opportunity that athletic trainers have:

“We get to care for them and try to prevent their injuries. Also we get to care for them at the moment they get injured, then help them heal and improve throughout the process and cheer them on as they return to the activity they love. There aren’t too many other fields that get the whole gamut like that.”

Athletic trainers are employed on sports teams at all levels from high school to the Pros.  They are the first to respond to injuries, and also play a crucial role in injury prevention and recovery.

Qualities of a Good Coach:

• Leadership
• Through knowledge of the sport and strategy
• Ability to work with others (athletes, other coaches, staff, management)
• Ability to motivate and instill confidence in athletes
• Trustworthy
• Good Communication Skills

How to Get Started with a Career in Coaching

Coaching at an elite level is highly competitive.  However, getting your first experience with an organization is certainly possible.  One route is to volunteer or do an internship.  While internships can also be competitive, it can really help build your skills and experience, and potentially introduce you to a mentor who can help mold your career.  According to Dr. Carrie LeCrom of Virginia Commonwealth University, who spoke with Sport Degrees Online:

“The more internships you can do, or volunteer for a local event that’s in your town…that…not only makes you look like a better candidate for a job or grad school but it will also help you decide before you devote your future to it. ‘Is this something I really want to do long term?’”

Nate Leaman, Head Coach of Providence College Men’s Hockey had this to say when asked what advice to give young people who were considering a career in coaching.  “I think the best advice is to try and get around the best people [and] organizations, that you believe are doing things the right way, that have a proven track record so you can learn.  Coaching is something where you are constantly learning, and trying to get better and better every day.  The people that you think are doing that, those are the type of people you want to be around.”

Also, consider that starting off in a role that may not be directly related to coaching, can still lead you to your end goal.  Dr. Kevin McGinniss is the former basketball coach at Southern Connecticut State University, who is now the current Graduate Coordinator and Director of Sport Management. Dr. McGinniss works within the Department of Recreation, Tourism and Sport Management at SCSU, and he recently gave this advice to Sports Degrees Online to people just starting out in the professional world:

“I think you really need to be more of a generalist because that’s going to give you an opportunity to get your foot in the door and get involved in the organization. Then when people see what you’re made of and what you’re able to do, more opportunities are going to present themselves.”

 

Coaching Salary and Career Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for coaches and scouts in 2019 is $34,850.  While this may not be the highest wage in sports, there is an exceptional amount of growth projected over the next decade.  “Employment of coaches and scouts is projected to grow 12 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.” – BLS

Pros and Cons of a Career in Coaching

Pros:

• There’s always a challenge waiting for you.
  • Even if you make it to the very highest point, win the championship, the title, the Super Bowl… there’s always next year when you start with a 0-0 record!  For some people this is exhilarating, for others it’s daunting.
    
• Staying connected to your passion.
  • Most people experience sports by observing, but as a coach you can be part of the game regardless of age or athletic ability.
    
• Opportunity to serve as a mentor.
  • Sports has so many lessons to teach people.  These lessons easily transfer off the field, and coaches serve as the primary instructor and mentor not only to athletes, but other staff members.  You are a leader that people will look to for direction for not only the next play, but also for direction in their lives off the field.

Cons:

• Irregular Schedule.
  • No matter what level of play you are coaching, the hours are guaranteed to be inconsistent and irregular.  Nights, weekends, doubleheaders, tournaments, all come with the territory.
    
• Travel.
  • This can be a pro or a con depending what you like.  For most, it is the source of exhaustion, but maybe for you it is the source of excitement!
    
• Little job security.
  • If you are winning that can mean promotions, moving to higher level leagues, longer and more lucrative contracts.  However if you are losing you may be quickly out of a job and have trouble finding your next one.

Coaches have a lot to keep track of, and the job goes far beyond the court, rink, or field.  Coaches are managing their players, the schedule, in some cases the roster, and recruiting.  On top of all of this, they are the face of the organization and play a role in the media public relations.  In some cases, it can be a grind, but it can also be immensely rewarding.  When asked what he enjoyed about the day to day of his job, Nate Leaman had this to say–

“The rewarding part is the day to day.  Trying to get better every day.  Trying to develop players every day.  There’s always a challenge, and always something to get better at.  Staying in that mindset and getting better every day is the fun part of the job.  And the relationships.  The relationships you build with your players, that’s really rewarding also.”

We feature many Sports Administration programs from schools around the U.S. that are a great fit for students looking to pursue a career in coaching.

Coaching Careers FAQs