Aug 11, 2017Ready to Go
For some, the new school year has already begun. For others, it’s just around the corner. In either case, there are several areas strength coaches (and sport coaches who oversee training of their teams) need to make sure are in place to ensure a smooth, successful year.
Let’s start with paperwork. Although it may be time consuming and tedious, it is necessary and will protect the coach if a problem occurs. Within the first week of school you should have parent permission slips, Preparticipation Screening forms, and Medical Clearance forms filled out — this is proof of medical clearance to participate and assumption of risk. For more information and sample forms go to “Essentials of Strength and Conditioning” 4th edition published by Human Kinetics.
Other forms that need to be on hand are cleaning and maintenance logs, safety procedures, injury report forms, and an emergency action plan. The cleaning and maintenance of the weightroom will allow the person in charge to stay ahead of most maintenance problems. If the coach notices a worn cable, he or she can order one before it breaks or becomes a safety hazard. The safety procedures and emergency action plan can be worked on with the Athletic Trainer. Most ATCs will have plans for an injured athlete on the field or court, so this will be easy for them to develop. Injury report forms may be a school district form — if not, the coach can go online and find one to use.
High school administration may want a syllabus for any weightlifting classes. If you have a specific curriculum with handouts, homework, written tests, and performance testing, this task is already finished. However, some coaches have lifting programs without handouts or tests. Developing a syllabus will be a little more difficult so the lifting/training calendar might be used as a substitution.
Budgets and equipment can be a touchy situation depending on the amount of money the school has, the types of fundraisers the coach can put on, or who is in charge of the room. If one person is in charge of the room and it is used by all sports, then sometimes each sport will put a little money into a general fund for the strength coach. If each coach does their own thing, trying to make large purchases for weight racks, bars, or new machines requires everyone to be on the same page with one coach as the lead. This is why a head strength coach is valuable. They can meet with each coach, get their needs, meet with equipment companies to get the best deal, and oversee the entire program so it is done quickly and within the budget.
Developing the athletes, a.k.a. program design, is the main reason for the room and in my opinion the best part of the job. The year-long calendar has been developed, the coach knows how many teams and classes they will have each term, the general number of students in each group (because there is usually a change or two), and the length of each session. Now the coach should break the students into groups based on training age, sport, gender, and phase. This can be a daunting process if the coach is new and does not have a clear grasp on the students. In this situation, a general program suitable for all the students in the class is best. After a week or two of lifting, the program can be modified to meet the needs of the individual students. For those coaches who have been around, it is a matter of assigning the correct program to the student. If I have a new student, I will always start with a basic program so I can observe their technique. If the student has good technique, then I will make changes to their specific lifting program. It is better to work on the basics and move up than to have a student performing lifts they do not know, which could lead to an injury.
For the speed/agility program, the coach must remember that some students have had very little activity during the summer, so starting out slow will allow them to adapt. Other students may have worked out all summer because they are preparing for a fall sport. Going slow will help those students so they do not get over trained. Keep in mind that fall sports will have a hard first week for two, and then they will be getting ready for their season. It is best to meet with the coaches so you know the game days, travel days, and rest days, which will allow you to work the lifting program around these situations.
Beginning a new school year is exciting and fun — however there is a lot of work that needs to go into the preparation to make the year successful. High school strength coaches who also teach have the added responsibility of being evaluated by their administration, parent-teacher conferences, grades, and general teacher meetings. The more prep work that can be accomplished before school starts, the easier the first few weeks will go.
This article was provided by Elite Sports University (ESU). ESU is an online university that offers the latest scientific courses on strength and conditioning, speed agility, nutrition, and specialty classes for tactical coaches, LTAD, and personal trainers. ESU classes can be taken to fulfill CEU requirements, college credits, or to improve your knowledge base. More information is at: elitesportsuniversity.com.
