5 Must-Haves of Coach Development Programs

5 Must Haves for Coach Development Programs

Research shows that Coaches who consistently achieve success, have key skills in common.

Does your Coach Development Program cover the skills that matter the most?

1. Quality Relationships are what makes the best, the best.

As legendary coach Joe Gibbs said, “You don’t win with X’s and O’s. What you win with is people.”

This isn’t feel-good talk. It reflects the latest research presented at the 2015 World Class Performance Conference in London which found there are considerable differences between the super-elite and high-performing athletes. The most significant difference was the quality of the Coach–athlete relationships.

At the other end of the sporting spectrum, this research is consistent with studies on why children quit sport, where the quality of the Coach-athlete relationship plays a big part.

The best Coaches, at any level, develop quality relationships. The best Coach Development Programs prioritize this in their curriculum too.

2. A clearly defined Coaching Philosophy

“When you have clarity about who you are and what you want, decisions and what actions to take become clear and are consistent.” – Bo Hanson

Coaches are constantly told that having a well-defined Coaching Philosophy is a critical component of a successful career. But, it can be a challenge to develop on their own and it takes time to evolve. This is another must-have of the best Coach Development Programs.

3. Know how to grow leaders

Leadership underpins every great sporting success story and leaves a gaping hole when it’s lacking. Consider all the best teams you know, and you’ll find that strong leadership is always used to describe their winning edge.

A big gap still exists when we look at the research. A coaching study found that 98% of Coaches believe an effective team captain positively impacts the win-loss record, yet only 27% of Coaches do any form of formal leadership development.

Leadership development is a consistent ingredient of the top teams, no exceptions. Helping Coaches teach leadership is another consistent ingredient of the top Coach Development Programs.

4. Ability to master team dynamics

The ultimate differentiator among the top teams is their Coach’s ability to know how to bring out the team’s best with their unique combination of athletes. These Coaches acutely respect that developing a winning team culture is a process requiring deliberate planning and focused execution.

Often Coach Development Programs have a strong focus on the technical and physical aspects of the sport, at the expense of this vital component. But as legendary Coach Lou Holtz said,

“I’d say handling the people is the most important thing you can do as a Coach.”

The very best Coach Development Programs include this critical content.

5. Prioritize coach wellbeing

To perform at your best, you must be at your best. The cornerstone of being your best is self-awareness, encompassing knowledge of your strengths, limitations and how your behaviors create your results.

Self-awareness is also a prerequisite for developing stronger emotional intelligence, effective communication, interpersonal relationships, and developing empathy and understanding for others.

Every top Coach Development Program starts with self-awareness.

There’s a reason top Olympic, National, Pro and College teams rely on Athlete Assessments.
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Bo Hanson

Senior Consultant & Director

Bo Hanson’s career within the sport and the business sector spans over 25 years, delivering leadership, management, and coach development. In addition to his own athletic career comprising of four Olympic appearances and including three Olympic medals, Bo has worked for many years with coaches and athletes from over 40 different sports across the globe. Bo was also the winner of the Australian Institute of Training and Development (AITD) 2023 Award for L&D Professional of the Year, for his dedication to L&D and transformational work across various industries.

After a successful career in sport including four Olympics and three Olympic Medals, Bo co-founded and developed Athlete Assessments in 2007. Bo now focuses on working with clients to achieve their own success on and off ‘the field’, and has attained an unmatched track-record in doing exactly this.

Headshot Bo
BoRowing-Atlanta Olympics

Now, watch us interrupt him for a round of quick fire questions.