NEW NATIONAL STANDARDS TELL PARENTS WHAT TO EXPECT OF COACHES
by Kent Hannon

IF YOU'RE A PARENT OF ONE OF THE 30 MILLION U.S. children who participate in school - or community-based athletic programs, you should have asked yourself this question by now: Does my kid's coach know what he (or she) is doing?

But you probably haven't.

"We did a survey and found that the average youth sports coach spends 80 hours a season with his or her players," says Fred Engh, president of the National Youth Sports Coaches Association (NYSCA), a division of the National Alliance for Youth Sports . "And yet, for the most part, parents have no idea who that coach is, what he or she knows about sports , and what his or her values are in terms of kids having fun playing sports . Isn't that a travesty?"

Sometimes it's more than that. A lot more. Consider the following reported incidents:

In New York State, a Little League coach slammed an umpire to the ground over a disputed third-strike call against the coach's 11-year-old son.

In Iowa, a girls' softball coach was convicted of videotaping his players in the shower.

In California, an 18-year-old soccer player died of heatstroke during a six-mile run.

Fortunately, truly abusive and tragic incidents are rare. But how many times have you and your kids had to deal with a coach who: Puts too much emphasis on winning?

Doesn't understand the fundamentals of the sport he's coaching?

Jeopardizes players' health because of poor training procedures or improper use of safety equipment?

Reduces a player to tears by screaming or carrying on? Low expectations No self-respecting parent would dream of sending his or her child to a school in which the English teacher can't conjugate a verb or the kindergarten teacher doesn't know how to relate to 5-year-olds. Competency is something parents demand in teachers, and a college degree isn't proof of that competency. To get a teacher's license, special training is required. So why do parents who demand excellence in the classroom entrust their kids' physical and psychological development and well-being to coaches whose only credential is that they once played the sport or simply exhibit a willingness to show up on a regular basis?

One reason is that, when it comes to community-based youth leagues, often those parents "or their friends and neighbors" are the coaches. Most coaches of young kids are volunteers whose hearts are in the right place. Sometimes they know they are not qualified to coach a sport , like soccer, for example. But they stepped forward because no one else was willing to. Without them, the kids might not get to play.

Expectations of youth coaches are low also because there are so many volunteer coaches across the country. An estimated 2.5 million coaches run teams that involve kids between ages 6 and 18. And the turnover is extraordinary. "The typical youth sports coach has a career of three to five years," says Mike Clark of the Youth Sports Institute, at Michigan State University. "It pretty much parallels the participation of their child."

Finally, some standards Even if a parent wanted to evaluate his or her child's coach, until recently, there was no objective standard by which to do so. But last August, for the first time, a national set of coaching guidelines was released. Developed under the auspices of the National Association for Sports and Physical Education (NASPE), these standards establish fundamental competencies that communities, school systems, private leagues, administrators, parents , and athletes should expect of their coaches.

The standards took two years to develop; hundreds of coaches, administrators, and sports leaders provided input. The result is a 124-page booklet entitled National Standards for Athletic Coaches, which, while easier to understand than a computer manual, isn't exactly light reading. It lists 37 standards in eight different areas of concern, setting five levels of competency in each area, from entry level to master coach.

Anyone involved in running a league should get a copy of the standards, read them, and try to make sure that every coach in the league meets them. A number of coaches' training and certification programs can help.

You can evaluate the coach How can you tell if the person coaching your kid knows what he's doing?

The best way is to make sure the coach has gone through a bona fide training or certification program. A second step is to ask the program administrator and the coach if they are familiar with, and follow, the new standards. Ultimately, though, it's up to you to do your own evaluation.

You can start by paying attention to the areas of concern outlined by the national standards. Observe the coach working with the players. Ask her or him questions that explore key areas. Here they are, with a summary of what coaches should be expected to know in each case:

Safety Coaches should insist on safe playing conditions, make sure proper safety equipment is used, see that athletes are properly onditioned, and be ready to take appropriate action if a medical emergency arises.

Growth, development, and learning Coaches should recognize the physical changes that occur as kids mature and should know how these changes influence learning and performance. They should also understand the social and emotional changes that are taking place in their athletes.

Social and psychological aspects Coaches should control their emotions, teach ethical conduct, provide positive feedback, and encourage athletes to set goals. They should use athletics to develop the complete person, and they should treat every athlete as an individual.

Training, conditioning, and nutrition Coaches should know the basics of how the human body works, so as not to develop training and conditioning programs that are bad for a child's body.

Skills, tactics, and strategies Coaches should use tactics and strategies that are appropriate for the age and skill levels of their athletes. They should be competent at planning practices, analyzing games, and scouting opponents.

Teaching and administration Coaches should be schooled in various teaching methods and should be objective when they evaluate talent.

Risk management Coaches should understand their legal responsibilities and inform athletes and parents of risks involved in playing a sport .

Professional preparation and development Coaches should be able to manage events, budgets, and facilities, and display a level of competency appropriate for the level they're coaching. Overwhelming? Perhaps, especially if you are judging some poor mom or dad (like you!). But it's time to take coaching seriously before something serious happens to your kid.

What if the coach doesn't measure up? You can do something about it. For example:

Talk to the coach. Is he aware of the problem, be it the use of batting helmets or his hot temper?

Offer to help. A rookie coach might be a little overwhelmed by all there is to do. You can help get things running smoothly.

Talk to the commissioner. Let the people in charge know if a dangerous or harmful situation exists and that you expect them to correct it.

Move your child to another team or league. If you feel the situation is untenable, consider finding another place for your child to play.

THE NEW NATIONAL COACHING STANDARDS

WHAT THEY ARE:
A master list of coaching competencies intended to give direction to administrators, coaches, athletes, and the general public regarding the skills and knowledge that coaches should possess. Each competency is divided into five levels, from entry level for beginning coaches to level five for "master coaches."

WHAT THEY AREN'T:
A national certification program to train coaches. The standards may serve as a model for organizations that certify, educate, and train coaches, but they are not sport -specific. Sponsoring sports organizations must develop programs for the specific needs of the coaches in their sport .

To purchase a copy of the National Standards for Athletic Coaches call 800-321-0789 or write to NASPE, 1900 Association Drive, Reston, VA 22091-1599.

IS YOUR COACH DOING A GOOD JOB?
A CHECKLIST
1- Organizes practices so that kids aren't just standing around
2- Demonstrates solid knowledge of the sport and the ability to teach kids new skills
3- Spends time talking to kids individually or in small groups
4- Pays attention to safety issues, including conditioning, equipment, and playing conditions
5- Never belittles a player, screams or otherwise uses an inappropriate tone of voice. Instead, criticizes play in a sensitive, positive manner
6- Listens to the kids and to their parents
7- Gives everyone a chance to play
8- Doesn't let winning become too important
9- Respects officials, opponents, and the rules of the game and teaches players to do likewise
10-Tries to make sports fun

WHO COACHES THE COACHES?
Coaching "competencies" and standards mean little unless the adults who run your children's teams are actually being trained, certified, or otherwise schooled in those standards. "At any given time," says Mike Clark of the Youth Sports Institute at Michigan State University, "thirty-five percent of our nation's youth are engaged in organized sports . But only twenty percent of the people in charge of those teams has had any formal training in coaching."

As a parent , you can help change that situation by urging that coaches in your kids' programs be required to complete a training program. Here are some groups that provide coaching education:

The National Youth Sports Coaches Association (NYSCA) has 2,000 chapters, in all 50 states. Each year, the NYSCA trains more than 150,000 coaches, who pay a small membership fee and undergo a program administered locally by NYSCA certified clinicians.

The American Sport Education Program (ASEP) has distributed some 625,000 sets of its training materials. Like NYSCA, ASEP leaves the training to local administrators, who use videos, books, and other materials provided. ASEP also has programs for sports parents and administrators.

The Program for Athletic Coaches' Education (PACE) is administered by the Youth Sports Institute at Michigan State University and is active primarily in Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Hawaii.

The National Institute for Child Centered Coaching offers videos, books, speakers, workshops, and newsletters for coaches, parents , and athletes. These programs concentrate on imbuing coaches with the proper philosophy and tools for working with children and some knowledge of safety considerations. They don't generally teach sport - specific strategies and coaching techniques. Some of the national sports governing bodies and national youth organizations have education programs for coaches who want to know more about a specific sport.

ASEP
P.O. Box 5076
Champaign, IL 61825
(800-747-5698)
www.asep.com

National Institute for Child Centered Coaching
3160 Pinebrook Road
Park City, UT 84098
(800-688-5822)

NYSCA
2050 Vista Parkway
W. Palm Beach, FL 33411
(800-729-2057)
www.nays.org

PACE
Youth Sports Institute
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824 (517-353-6689)
http://ed-web3.educ.msu.edu/ysi/

U.S. Olympic Committee: Coaching Division
One Olympic Plaza
Colorado Springs, CO 80909
www.olympic-usa.org

National Association for Sports and Physical Education (NASPE)
1900 Association Drive
Reston, VA 22091
http://www.aahperd/org/naspe/naspe-main.html