Thinking of moving into coaching

the bump

You have described the process fairly well. How old are you and what is current salary? The college scene is not that hard to break into if you are willing to sacrifice a great deal to do so. The GA/volunteer route is probably the most common. Who you know definitely counts a great deal. Years ago I was picked over some more qualified guys because of a stronger history with the head coach doing the hiring. Expanding your club coaching might be the most practical at this point if you are older and not willing to take a big pay cut etc. Good Luck.

30's - 60k+ - and I don't know much of anyone. Taking a pay cut isn't really an option.

if taking a pay cut isnt an option you might as well stick to club coaching. Club coaching isnt going to get you anywhere in the college scene, as you have to have been an athlete and either do a volunteer/GA position or do a low level JC position where you are paid under a grand a month first before you can really be considered for anything else.

Also, if you're coaching average joes that are running over 15min 5k's you're really shit out of luck as the college scene is totally different, especially in the areas where you will start to make 30k+.

I know a coach who had been at a smaller type school for over 6 years and had several guys under 14:00 each year and was only making 30k.

Stick to the clubs or take a massive paycut is the only option for you

in the scene now wrote:

if taking a pay cut isnt an option you might as well stick to club coaching.

This guy's right on. You may never make 60+ in coaching and if you do it won't be for many years (10+).

act 2 wrote:

in the scene now wrote:

if taking a pay cut isnt an option you might as well stick to club coaching.

This guy's right on. You may never make 60+ in coaching and if you do it won't be for many years (10+).

Ok, and thanks to the last two posters. I figured the pay cut was a given. But, I didn't quite have a feel for what sort of talent level produced what sort of income and how long it would take to get there. 10 years is about what I guessed and, though I'm not a greedy person, I see no reason to throw away a decent career that I tolerate for a coaching position I may love that will force me and my family to be near subsistence level for a decade.

The talent pool I have worked with is limited, so I can't quite gauge whether I would be able to bring folks around to the levels mentioned here. I have worked with a few guys of that level, but only short term as they were asking more for insight than continuous collaboration.

Sounds like working the club level is the more reasonable approach.