Coaching Qualifications at Different Levels

[InSider]

For the sake of discussion, let's list the "levels" of softball.

Recreational League
All-Stars
Entry level travel ball
High School
High level travel ball
Junior College
College
Pro

What do you feel are appropriate qualifications to coach each level? I think at the rec level, it's a good place for a coach to get their start. I also think that a rec coach should spend time learning more about the fundamentals of the game. Maybe attend some coaching clinics.
Entry level travel ball coaches should have spent some time a the rec level, or assisting a more experienced coach.

This brings me to the High School coach. I'm certain there will be many opinions on this one. In MY opinion, ideally, a HS coach would have high level travel ball coaching experience. However, that is rarely the case, so I would be happy with at least some entry level travel ball experience. I'm not saying that travel ball coaches are always better than HS ball coaches, but the odds are in favor of that viewpoint. Being a HS gym, math, or science teacher does not qualify you to be a coach. Playing HS ball 20 years ago does not qualify you to be a coach.

High level travel ball coaches should obviously have a track record of winning high level tournaments and producing high level players. They likely were assistants to high level head coaches before being head coaches themselves.

Junior College, I feel, is about the same as a high level travel ball coach, in terms of qualifications.

College coaches, well, from what I gather, they start out as travel ball coaches and many of them get degrees in related fields such as sports psychology or something along those lines.

Pro coaches, at this point, can be a little of everything. As long as they have working, inside knowledge of elite ball.

Again, these are all just my opinion. If someone has more intimate knowledge of what qualifications are required, please share. I know there are people on here who have aspirations to become a certain level of coach.

What do you think?

 

[carlyderose]

I have some knowledge of the qualifications necessary at different coaching levels being that I'm a college student-athlete and have completed internships in compliance at the high school and college level.

I would lump Recreational and All-Stars together. Usually, parents of young players are the coaches. I agree that this is a good time for new coaches to gain experience.

With reference to travel ball, the low and high level should have experience coaching. Obviously, the high level coach will have more years of experience. Both low and high level needs to have knowledge beyond the game of softball like how to budget for tournament costs, travel costs, uniform costs, etc.

I know that in Ohio, high school coaches are not allowed to coach a travel team that has a certain number of players from the school he/she coaches. With that being said, I love to see former high school and college players coach travel ball teams because they have the experience playing at competitive levels.

Junior college and college coaches are required to have a four year degree. I believe that you should have years of coaching experience as well as budgeting, event planning, fundraising, etc.

Professional coaches should be college coaches, plain and simple. My coach used to coach for the Pennsylvania Rebellion and she has many years of schooling and coaching at the collegiate level.