How to become a high school track and cross country coach

I sense this is an attempt at trolling, but if it isn't...

* Teaching is probably the best way to land a job as a cross-country coach, but it doesn't make it automatic. You have to get a teaching job at a school where they also need a cross-country coach. That really limits your options.

* The market is flooded with those who have Phys Ed majors. You will give yourself a better shot at getting a teaching job if you are certified in Math, Comprehensive Science, or Special Education.

Please do not go into teaching if you only want to coach. Your passion has to be for the success of students in your classroom.

I believe financial pressures are going to drive scholastic sports out of our schools and into club settings. Find your career passion and get on the front end of the future by developing your own club team in your spare time.

Major in something you'd like to teach - don't limit yourself to Phys Ed, by any means. All of my XC coaches were math teachers, and most of the coaches in our league now are math teachers (go figure). As a walk-on, I'm the odd man out.

It would probably help to start at a school that doesn't value XC much - maybe they have a non-runner coaching out of desperation, and would be interested in a real runner coaching their kids right away, instead of you waiting for a good coach to retire.

If you're in Cali, check espn/dyestatcal for info about open coaching positions - it's even linked on their front page.

You may not get lucky and land a coaching job with your first teaching job - my favorite coach waited years for his 'dream job' to open up at a high school on the Central Coast of California.

Good luck.

PS: You can start padding your resume by looking for an assistant coach / volunteer position at a high school close to your college. Getting your foot in the door can help - maybe a rival school sees you coach, and you let your intentions be known, and when they have an opening of their own, you're already known by the coaches in the area, which can help you get a job.

And it doesn't hurt to know someone. If you have a 'friend of a friend' who knows about an opening, chase it down.

This^^^^

Volunteer first with an older coach or a team with an older coach nearby. Your abilities will be evident to those looking to hire a coach. Unfortunately, most do not hire a CC coach first, but a teacher for the subject, and fill the position from existing staff.

I had to start as a volunteer assistant and wait for the paid one to quit to get the position.

Get the most out of your competive running career before you even think about coaching. Don't try to volunteer as a coach because you need to focus on your own running right now. There is plenty of time to get experience as a coach, but your own running career has limits. Once you get into coaching, it will be harder to teach, coach and train to your ability. Maybe find a way to officiate at local meets and get to know local coaches so you get your name out there. But mostly, spend as much time learning from your coach.

DO NOT BECOME A TEACHER SO YOU CAN COACH...you'll be doing the rest of our kids a favor.

I almost made this mistake until I realized how much I hated being around kids for that long. And good lucking finding a PE teaching job, that was a major reason I quit that program. You'll more than likely have to move somewhere you don't want to live to teach at some shitty school where no one gives 2 shits about running.

Honestly this is the sad truth of things. I was in my school's teaching program for 2 years before realizing how bad of a life choice I was about to make. After talking to my old HS coaches and teachers, they where more then thrilled to have me come back and help coach their program. Having a good amount of success and school records definitely helped me out...

Really if you want to coach, get in with the running community around your area. Go to a couple track meets, talk to some coaches when they aren't busy, talk to the school's AD who you want to coach for...it's really not that hard.

Becoming a teacher just to coach will make you miserable (unless you love teaching PE but I doubt you do). You'll more than likely have to sacrifice where to live, you'll get paid next to nothing, and you'll be putting in extra hours for a team that has no garuntee for success. People just don't give up PE jobs, those are pretty kush positions.

how to become a good 8oom and 400m coach

As they all said before, teaching math really does seem like the easy way in. To do that you have to like working with kids and think math is at least okay. Being a male math teacher that wants to coach, you won't have much difficulty finding a job. The important thing is you have to want to be a teacher because you like working with kids, not because you really like math.

The reason I stress you must like working with kids is because when you do become a coach you will be the most passionate person about running. The kids won't care about running half as much as you do. You will deal mostly with kids that came out for track because their crush did, a friend did, or their mom made them. 99% will just be there and not really care to much about the world of running. I've found the job of a coach in hs is more of a motivator and manager. Convincing kids that a 10 mile run is good for them and fun thing is like convincing the rioters in Ferguson burning buildings solves nothing.

I am a first year teacher and first year head coach... Not exactly what I planned personally (wouldn't have minded being an assistant for awhile). The other head coach resigned a week into track, so now it is all me. I absolutely love it because I love working with kids. When I told my hs coach I wanted to be a coach and teacher he gave me the best advice, coach because you love working with kids, not because you love track.

Another Option wrote:

I believe financial pressures are going to drive scholastic sports out of our schools and into club settings. Find your career passion and get on the front end of the future by developing your own club team in your spare time.

Not in our life time. Sports are expensive and honestly it is the dishonest club coaches (not all are bad) who are trying to privatize HS sports by selling lies are absolute dirt. That said there is one reason we in America will never drop HA sports and it is the biggest drain on the school budget: Football.

As long as this is around in American culture so are high school sports.

All good advice above. One additional piece of advice is to get a coaching minor along with a math or science education major. School administrators want to see credentials as well as passion. A coaching minor will also give you a solid foundation in physiology, sport psychology, sports administration, biomechanics and kinesiology, sports medicine, and sport specific training philosophy. As opposed to education classes, which are mostly theory, the coaching classes I had were incredibly useful when I started coaching. You can always go back and take night school to get a P.E. masters to raise you on the pay scale (many coaches do this).

Great thread, even if the OP *was* a troll. Thanks to all for your thoughtful replies.