Asked to coach someone for a fee... what to charge?

Most good high school coaches will make anywhere from 6-10 dollars an hour.

($2000 untaxed/20 hours a week/16 weeks = $6.25)

College assistant coaches make a little more, often have a 4 year degree in the field (EX SCI, Kinesiology) and go through a difficult application process

($30,000/ 45 weeks / 50 hours = $13.33 taxed, closer to 10 with taxes taken out)

keep in mind both of these positions have upwards of 20+ athletes to manage, tons of clerical red tape bs, and many different parties to appease.

I would make sure you have enough compensation to pay for gas and wear and tear on your vehicle. Everything above that is a gift if you enjoy what you are doing. IMO I would ask the father what he thinks is reasonable or nothing over $8 an hour.

It all depends on the parents, I am currently coaching two kids one in high school and one in 6th grade. Also one kid who is a freshman in college and they pay 25 an hour for one person and if there is two at the same time then it is 30 an hour. That seems to be pretty common with private coaching, take this how you want it but people are willing to pay for it.

Is this a high school girl? Please have the courtesy to at least talk to the coach of the girl...It is SO annoying to have to deal with outside coaches. I am certainly not saying that you may not be a good coach, but all of a sudden you are giving an athlete a different plan and she comes in to practice and starts spouting off stuff or refuses to do things and you have a situation on your hands. It is a major pain in the butt. At least talk with the school coach and make sure that you are on the same page...not doing hard workouts right before meets, or anything that will hinder her real practices. The coach may be thrilled to death that she is getting extra coaching, or maybe not. Just be upfront about the fact that you are coaching and things will run much more smoothly for everyone.

Foy what it's worth, I pay $35 an hour for a HS math tutor to come to our house. With the price of gas these days, I wouldn't take less than $10. I think the $20-$25 range sounds fair esp. if you stay a few extra minutes etc.

there is a guy in MA who coaches high school kids in the high jump for 75 bucks an hour

So many stupid football players in my school and in neighboring schools will go to "personal trainers" for an hour and pay $60-$80

It is the biggest rip off I have ever seen. They have their "clients" do crunches, sit-ups, drills, plyos, speed ladders, running with parachutes, and other silly things.

When I was in middle school I used to go to one of these guys but he was also my track club coach. It also wasn't nearly as expensive. It was also much more track based and more than an hour. I don't regret it because I attribute a lot my kick to it and it helped me fall in love with the sport.

Actually the coach wants me to help her. He is the only one out there coaching 80 kids and she's 5'10'' and has jumped 4'10'' and apparently has the talent to go higher.

$8 an hour? It would cost $4 in gas almost just to get there and back. I was thinking $20 a session at least, but I'll wait until he throws a number out there. I mean, we're talking one on one help with no distractions, that's worth much more than one coach spread out among many athletes. This girl goes to a private school so I don't think $20 or more per session is unreasonable.

And no, no athletic massage. I'm no dizzle fo' shizzle.

crazy streaker wrote:

So many stupid football players in my school and in neighboring schools will go to "personal trainers" for an hour and pay $60-$80

It is the biggest rip off I have ever seen. They have their "clients" do crunches, sit-ups, drills, plyos, speed ladders, running with parachutes, and other silly things.

When I was in middle school I used to go to one of these guys but he was also my track club coach. It also wasn't nearly as expensive. It was also much more track based and more than an hour. I don't regret it because I attribute a lot my kick to it and it helped me fall in love with the sport.

Yes because football players shouldn't do drills, plyos and speed ladders. Why on earth would they want to improve their athletic conditioning.

Personal Training get's a bad rep because it's not regulated. There was a time when Physical Therapists were looked upon in the same way....until they became regulated. Any Joe D. Meathead can call themselves a personal trainer without any sort of training. The uneducated will look at this meathead and figure "oh he must know what he is talking about".

Good personal trainers will have at least a BS in Exercise Science or a health/exercise related field and a certification from the ACSM or NSCA or even ACE. As far as running goes....plyos, core work, strength training, and speed drills will make you a better runner. Personal Trainers and Strength Coaches will know how to progress you in the best way so you reach maximum results. If you don't have access to a free strength coach and have $40-70 to plop down per session then you have nothing to lose by hiring a personal trainer.

Alan

Kind of depends on the state you live in... I used to coach some kids in So. CA in the jumps and $50 per session was typical and ran about 1-1/2 hours for 2 times a week. Another guy I knew even had a distance girl for an hour session at $30... and that wasn't a technical event (really didn't require much "knowledge" on his part). I just did a high jump clinic for a local HS for their beginners - they didn't have $ to pay me for it, but I got a pair of $92 shoes out of it! It lasted 2 hours and they got a 5' 6" high jumper out of that session! (I now live in TX). So, it's really all relative. I would say that rather than do a per hour cost, make it a per session cost and get at least $40 for doing it... otherwise, is it really worth your time and effort to get to her? You are doing them a favor... and if she is 5' 10" and has any kind of spring in her legs, she could easily become a 5-6 or higher jumper with your help... depending on where you live, that may get her into the state meet, so what's a little bit of cash on her parent's part if she can make the state meet???!

Because when the HS running backs would rather pay an ex-D1 football player $80 for an hour of speed training instead of coming out for the track team. As far as I am concerned the track team provides an athlete with at least 2 hrs of actual speed training, stretching, drills, pylos, and access to a weight room and program. So when track teams become incomplete with sprinters and throwers because of these guys, I get mad.

I think $40 would be great, but I really have no way to justify that. I can't say, "well, X charges $50 bucks so you're getting a deal".

I definitely plan on charging per session, not per hour.

ProspectiveCoach wrote:

So I've been asked to coach a girl high jumper. I was a decent H.S. jumper and walked on to a pretty decent D1 program. I have coached for a couple years and actually coached at this girl's school a couple years ago. I consider myself a very good technician and a pretty good coach, I just haven't stayed anywhere for very long nor been given much control over an athletes.

So I get a call from a contact at the school and I end up talking with the girl's dad. What should I charge? I'm thinking 20-25 bucks a session. I figure a session would be 2 hours and that my knowledge and skill would be worst at least 10 bucks an hour.

You sound like you're going too cheap. I'm a dad and wouldn't flinch at $35 for a two hour session.

We pay $75.00 an hour or $210.00 for a 3 hour session for a pitching/hitting coach in town. Former pro player.

I think the amount you are thinking of charging is about right. Although you said you were a high school athlete, and had coached at the school....that appears to be the extent of your training. People who charge more, are people who have degrees, or certifications in the field. As a trainer with a college degree,years of coaching and USATF coaching certifications, AND other certifications, I could charge a higher amount because I have taken the time to get educated. The person who pays $75 an hour for pitching is paying a former pro....so that is justified as well.

Charge your 20-25 dollars, that sounds like a very reasonable amount for someone who has some experience as a jumper, but no formal background or training.

My personal trainer costs 40 per hour to come to the house and is probably increasing it some. My running coach was charging me about 20 an hour.

I jumped in college for a couple years and then took a position as head manager for a couple more. I have an M.A. (not related to athletics) and have a couple years of coaching experience. So I am a coach with a college degree, years of coaching but I don't have the USATF coaching certification.

What kind of certification can I get besides USATF?

you could get by with 20-30 an hour. think about it. a private music lesson is anywhere from 13-25 (usually on the higher end now) for 30 min! I know of swim coaches who charge 50 an hour (a very good coach, however). i wouldnt think 25 bucks for an hour session is unreasonable at all. it is a private lesson. If i was hiring a private HJ coach, id probably expect around 25 an hour. my two cents.