First Principles of Sports Coaching

There are certain un-written first principles that all Sports Coaches should be following at all times, and these are what I call a Coaches un-written Duty of Care if you like, similar to a Doctor's oath etc.

Sports Coaches First Principles

1. A Coach shall never place any player under their charge in harms way.

2. A Coach shall always make sure that the line's between Coach and player remain clear and defined

3. A Coach shall at all times conduct themselves in an appropriate manner.

4. A Coach shall never ever use bad language in front of there players.

5. A Coach shall create a environment for there players that is safe haven at all times.

6. A Coach shall always put there players and club first.

If a Sports Coach follows these six 1st principles at all times when they are coaching they will never fail, its only when a Coach deviates from any one of these 1st principles that things will start to go wrong. In recent times we have seen this in Australia at the highest levels of elite Sport where the Coach at certain clubs or with certain elite sports organisations has forgotten that they have a duty of care to there players and as a result has dropped the ball on the 1st principles of Coaching. 

In some cases within Australian those Coaches I am referring to have actually made it all about themselves and have crossed way over the line on point six and as a result have found themselves on the Coaching scrap heap.

I say this to all the Sports Coaches I talk to particular those who Coach junior sport, you must at all times put your players first and apply 1st principles and your duty of care.