The Three Coaching Duties that Could/Should be a Separate Position
We all know there is more to coaching that simply teaching your athletes how to play football. Our job as coaches comes with several duties to keep the program running from one day to the next. You can see a list of those duties here.
There are a few duties that can and are being assigned to a person who does not coach football, but wants to be involved in a supporting role. The people are a blessing to any program because they take on a lot of duties to allow coaches do what they do best, which is coach their teams.
I want to make sure and thank Callie Cam for her time and insight regarding the Football Operations position. She has a passion for helping coaches and football programs.
Director of Football Operations
This position is your All-In-One support role that many programs wondering why they waited to add this person to their football staff. Depending on the needs of the coach and their program, this position can handle logistics, paperwork, grades, recruiting, events, academics, communications, community etc. Callie Cam, current Director of Player Personnel for Baylor Football listed her game day duties as meals, buses, travel logistics, correspondence with the other team, Jumbotron graphics, refs, hospitality rooms, overseeing film, headsets, equipment checks, everything you can think. Callie was also the head track coach, which helped her keep tabs and stay involved with the players and coaches she was supporting in the fall.
This is a great position for the staff that is struggling to fill all their spots because it takes these extra duties off of the coaches’ plate and allows them to give more attention to coaching football. It is also a great position for a large staff because, the larger the staff, typically the larger the team. That means everybody has more to do just because of the size of the program. A Director of Football Operations can be a difference maker in the coaches office.
Academic Coordinator
Players need accountability in the field house and in the school building. If a student wants to be a part of the team, they have to pass their classes. An Academic Coordinator helps student-athletes stay accountable in the classroom.
Starting with grade checks, the academic coordinator checks each week how athletes are performing in the classroom. Make sure you know ALL eligibility rules for your state and how to run the correct grade reports each term. Prior to these eligibility checks is when an Academic Coordinator is most valued. They check in with each athlete in the weeks and days prior to the official check to see where the gap in learning is occurring and what is the best path for success. Academic Coordinators keep the lines of communication open between teacher to player and to the football staff, making sure everybody knows why each individual player is struggling and the best way they can help themselves in class.
When students are involved in athletics, it can be difficult to attend tutorials. Academic Coordinators can work with campus organizations like the National Honor Society to provide before or after practice tutoring sessions in the different subjects.
Academic Coordinators also make sure to honor and celebrate the student-athletes who are excelling in the classroom by making sure to submit the players for academic all-district and all-state awards. Give out a special sticker each week to student-athletes on the A or A-B honor roll.
Equipment Manager
Equipment is probably one of the biggest headaches of any staff. Having a dedicated equipment manager is a luxury that can make a huge difference in the day to day operations of a football program. One person who manages the fitting, maintenance, and inventory of all player protective gear, uniforms, and practice equipment. They ensure safety by inspecting gear for damage, managing laundry services, and preparing equipment for games.
Managing laundry alone is reason enough for every football staff to have a dedicated equipment manager.
The equipment manager would also be in charge of missing equipment and the consequences for players who always seem to lose some piece of it each week. They would be in charge of the student managers, who would assist them each week to prepare for practice and the games.
You’re probably wondering why I didn’t include the Recruiting Coordinator on the list. I actually believe it is better for this position to be held by a football coach, or handled by the head football coach themselves. When a college coach comes by, who knows the players better than the coach who is coaching them? I believe the position coach has the best insight to give the college coaches coming by looking for players who will help them in the future.
The main thing about these positions is each one allows for a coach to focus on the student-athletes more. Being torn in multiple directions by large-scale program duties diverts a coach’s attention from what they love doing, coaching kids in their sport.
If you are looking for resources for these positions, or how you can perform these roles I encourage you to reach out to Callie Cam, mentioned earlier in the article and Ed Jones of Beyond the Field.