5 Reasons Why Your Coaches Should Be Using Curriculums: How to Implement Them Today
Posted in:
Here are five reasons your organization should be using youth sports coaching curriculums, including helpful advice on implementing them into your programs.
Are your youth sports coaches working with curriculums? We know what curriculums are. But why are they important? What does delivering a great coaching curriculum entail?
TeamSnap’s Jim Dahline teamed up with Rick Meana from New Jersey Youth Soccer to share the importance of youth sports coaching curriculum, based on their years of coaching experience.
5 Reasons Why You Should Provide Youth Sports Coaching Curriculums
Why is it important to deliver a quality curriculum to your organization’s volunteer coaches?
Rick Meana, Director of Coaching at New Jersey Youth Soccer, tells us a few of these reasons:
- Provides a way to help children further understand and develop their abilities
- Provide a clear roadmap to everyone in your organization
- Conduct productive training sessions that build upon the previous ones
- Use a structured and consistent approach across every portion of your program
Let’s dive into more details for each of his top reasons.
5 Reasons Your Coaches Should Use Curriculums
#1 Age Appropriate and Developmentally Focused
There’s nothing more important than providing an environment that makes sure kids are having a good time while building skills along the way. Help children to further understand their abilities, by providing a clear roadmap for their development. Ensure training sessions build upon the previous one and provide a structured approach.
#2 Consistency and Structure for All Coaches, No Matter What Level
How does the old saying go? Consistency is key. Curriculums allow you to ensure your coaches are all on the same page, teaching the same principles and techniques, and your athletes are developing in a structured environment.
#3 Goal Setting
Curriculums allow your coaches to set specific and measurable goals for each player based on age, skill level, and more. These goals or benchmarks give your athletes an ability to progress at an appropriate pace, instead of inconsistencies throughout your organization, even at the team level.
#4 Wholistic Development
Beyond technical skills, a good curriculum focuses on developing sportsmanship, fitness, and mental toughness, creating a well-rounded athlete. Youth sports and athlete development reach so much farther than on-field performance.
#5 Allows Flexibility and Adaptability Based on the Needs of Your Athletes
Curriculums can be adjusted as needed. This gives your coaches the space to add new challenges or goals that arise during the season. Flexibility ensures the training remains relevant and effective.
#6 Alignment with Club Philosophy
Club philosophy or your club’s vision and mission ensures that all players are being prepared in a way that supports a club style of play and long-term objectives.
Introducing TeamSnap+ Coaches Pack
Youth sports organizers know that one of the biggest challenges in youth sports is recruiting and retaining high-quality coaches. Some clubs have fully paid coaching staff with a ton of experience, others rely on parent volunteers who may have little to no experience. No matter what type of coaching program an organization has, giving coaches high-quality drills and thoughtful practice plans helps create fun and engaging training sessions that will develop skills and keep families happy and coming back.
TeamSnap+ Coaches Pack combines high-tempo drills, practice plans, and curriculums with coach-driven instructions and equipment lists, to give coaches (from every experience level) the tools they need to confidently run engaging practices.
The Results:
- Confident coaches who are fully equipped to run team practices
- Happy parents who see their athletes having fun and growing skills
- Program consistency with standardized curriculums
- Development curriculums include week-by-week practice plans designed to give you a full season of developmental practices.
How to Access Drills and Curriculums on TeamSnap
- Add Coaches to Teams in the TeamSnap mobile app
- Coaches can pick practice plans based on a variety of factors
- Results! The practice will run smoothly with great feedback from everyone involved
Get Started Today
