Teachers coaching

[12gauge]

Throughout the area I see many teachers that are coaching a sport. I guess the reason for this topic is to look at both sides of this. Maybe someone is very close to a teacher/coach and could give me a little insight on why teachers get so many coaching jobs,wether they are qualified or not in others eyes.

[Orange and Brown]

Because coaching is supplemental pay. This isn't Texas, we don't pay a livable salary for coaches to just coach a sport.
Teachers are around the kids all day and have more contact with the kids because they are teachers.

Their are some coaches who are not teachers and more power to them.

[12gauge]

So a person goes to college to be an intervention specialist. Never played the sport he's applying to coach. Let's say he wants to do girls basketball,he played basketball 2 yrs in high school,never making it above Jv ball. A former college basketball player comes back home ,he wants to coach. The latter is obviously more qualified for the job but in Ohio we give the job to a teacher who wants a supplemental contract.

[12gauge]

So a person goes to college to be an intervention specialist. Never played the sport he's applying to coach. Let's say he wants to do girls basketball,he played basketball 2 yrs in high school,never making it above Jv ball. A former college basketball player comes back home ,he wants to coach. The latter is obviously more qualified for the job but in Ohio we give the job to a teacher who wants a supplemental contract.

[billcox]

That's pretty much how it works with the major sports. District's tend to want to fill coaching spots with teachers. Unfortunately, this does end up eliminating a great deal of qualified candidates.

[Orange and Brown]

So a person goes to college to be an intervention specialist. Never played the sport he's applying to coach. Let's say he wants to do girls basketball,he played basketball 2 yrs in high school,never making it above Jv ball. A former college basketball player comes back home ,he wants to coach. The latter is obviously more qualified for the job but in Ohio we give the job to a teacher who wants a supplemental contract.

This is not always the case.
Coach Penrod at Alexander is not a teacher and not employed by the school district. I can think of a few others as well.

Most of the time only teachers apply for a particular job.
In Ohio schools only give a supplemental contract regardless of if you are a teacher or not.

[noreply66]

You do not have to be a former player of any sport to coach. It is the knowledge of the game. History will show you that a lot of great ball players do not make good coaches. A lot might become coaches but not too many coach winning teams.

[Paladin]

It has always been a desire of Boards to hire those who have daily contact with and interact with kids. So teachers have the inside advantage. Yet, when openings occur, Boards post the positions and take apps. Then they screen and interview. Many teachers are indeed hired , both from inside and outside the system. Most have a playing and/or coaching background. But not all. And its become harder to get teachers to take on coaching which often leads to hiring someone who doesn't teach.

I can tell you as a former teacher/ Head Coach and assistant that there are often great differences between someone inside who teaches and someone who doesn't teach. If you can get good qualified teachers, I'll take them every time. But there are some good non-teaching coaches. Just not always an ideal situation.

[OldBlue]

You get passed over for something 12?

[Banned4ever]

So a person goes to college to be an intervention specialist. Never played the sport he's applying to coach. Let's say he wants to do girls basketball,he played basketball 2 yrs in high school,never making it above Jv ball. A former college basketball player comes back home ,he wants to coach. The latter is obviously more qualified for the job but in Ohio we give the job to a teacher who wants a supplemental contract.

You get better at a sport by playing the sport. Therefore, the former college player might make a better teammate but it doesnt make him "obviously more qualified." Dick Vermeil says coaching is teaching. I would argue that this makes a teacher the most qualified candidate on how to instruct a sport. Orange and Brown is a lot of things as a moderator but on this one he is spot on. Teachers are around kids all day. They have rapport. they build relationships and most importantly they know how to teach. Most good athletes are good because they have top notch motor skill not necessarily great knowledge. No offense to you intended but too many people have fallen into that trap of thinking better athletes always translate to better coaches. It just isnt so........

[Banned4ever]

You do not have to be a former player of any sport to coach. It is the knowledge of the game. History will show you that a lot of great ball players do not make good coaches. A lot might become coaches but not too many coach winning teams.

HOLY BATCRAP! I find myself agreeing with noreply66........

[Chieftain2009]

The reason teachers get these jobs is stated above, they also get them because they end of their work day lines up with when practice starts for many schools. You don't have to have played a sport in college to be qualified to be a coach, and you don't have to be a teacher to be qualified to be a coach either. Every school, and individual person's situation is different.

For example, I competed locally in high school, went on to compete in college, and now have been coaching at a local high school for 3 years. I don't teach or work in the school district, but make it work.

[Tartanblue]

So a person goes to college to be an intervention specialist. Never played the sport he's applying to coach. Let's say he wants to do girls basketball,he played basketball 2 yrs in high school,never making it above Jv ball. A former college basketball player comes back home ,he wants to coach. The latter is obviously more qualified for the job but in Ohio we give the job to a teacher who wants a supplemental contract.

I have seen coaches who were great players, try their hand at coaching and not get it. I have also seen players that were not great athletes come out and be one hell of a coach. It all comes down to knowing the sport and how to get all out of each player on the team. Heck, I wasn't the best player on my teams but given the opportunity I could out coach the best players on others.

[Raider6309]

You do not have to be a former player of any sport to coach. It is the knowledge of the game. History will show you that a lot of great ball players do not make good coaches. A lot might become coaches but not too many coach winning teams.

I agree

[fortdawg]

I subscribe to the "Coaching is Teaching" school of thought and there are huge advantages to seeing the players and their teachers every day.

But....control is the main reason an administrator would rather have an in house teacher than an outsider.

Whether it's the Board, Super, or Principal their job is on the line and I know of no administrator who doesn't want control of that situation.

Think about it, we all have seen or heard of instances where a Board meeting has a big crowd there to fire or retain a coach.

It's a lot rarer for it to be about a science teacher. haahahahahaha

I've seen specific instances where people have ran for the School Board to can a coach. I've never seen that for a teacher.

[rockcoach]

Another issue with hiring a non-teacher as a coach is that a lay coach can just up and quit at any time. A teacher is more likely to complete the season. I've personally seen two cases where an assistant coach had to resign and leave because of a job transfer. This makes the situation not fair to anyone. I agree with fortdawg. Teachers are trained to teach and AI have seen many teachers become great coaches, even if they didn't play college sports, or even high school. It's all in how bad you want to be a coach. I have also seen great coaches who aren't teachers. You can look at it either way.

[12gauge]

You get passed over for something 12?

Nope,just a question I had.

[Bigdog]

When a person goes through college to be a teacher they learn a lot more about dealing with kids than the average non-teacher. I am not saying the non-education major can't be a teacher or good coach but there are issues way beyond knowledge of a given sport. Coaching is TEACHING so teachers make good coaches. They are also more educated in the ethics of being an educator that the average stud basketball player. You may not agree with what I am saying but you have to see the validity of it.

[Brutus]

It is almost always better to have a teacher coaching a team. I agree that a teacher with little to no experience with a sport probably shouldn't trump an outsider with a great deal of experience and/or success. However, teachers are very good at TEACHING the sport. They also have more contact with the kids, which allows for them to build relationships. They are obviously likely to be very good at managing kids of high school age, which not everyone is. If I were hiring, I would try to get a teacher to coach if at all possible.

[12gauge]

Lots of good reasons,this came up in a discussion between some friends,while having some cold drinks on a hot evening