Can you become a d3 college coach w/o AA talent or HS coaching experience? Coach Advice Please.

Sounds like you are already coaching D3. If you are talking about becoming a head coach, pursue a masters degree as most D3 jobs want you to teach some as well. Being only 1 year out of college and having 1 year of coaching success, I'd say you are ahead of the game.

bingo!

applicant wrote:

pursue a masters degree

although, the teaching part is older thinking (90's). WASC is now seeking to have their coaches coach and their teachers teach. Too many bogus F/T or P/T teaching jobs given to $2k stipend football coaches.

to the OP, you sound a lot like me, although, i was already in a graduate program while coaching and still competed. my PR's are a bit stronger than yours (14:40's 5k) but PRs are irrelevant in the hiring process. I ran at an NAIA school, and got a job 3 months after i finished grad school at a local d-3 school. started part time, effective 7/1, i'll be 90% full time. also, i'm not USATF qualified. personally, i don't agree with it, but that's just me.

keep being an assistant coach, get that master's and work with the AD at your current institution and maybe the head XC position will open up for you.

Thanks for the suggestions and definitely something to keep in mind.

The reason I actually came to fruition with these questions was because of a recent opening at the college. The XC coach resigned and the AD has decided to combine XC/T&F to a full time position. After multiple interviews for the position I was not selected for the position for next year and will not be returning to the university. I was told I was not selected due to low experience in relation to the other candidates, and am fearful that this statistic could tarnish any other future opportunities.

While I love coaching and I believe that this is my calling, I also cannot afford to live off of working for 7 months and earning less than $2000 for it. I also have a girlfriend that has a solid career where we currently live and my ability to be mobile to find a hiring university would not be an option. Within an hour of my current location is my only possible coaching opportunities. All these constraints really make it feel difficult to ever pursue this further (or grow my collegiate coaching experience in an effort to garner a full-time gig) but I was hoping to receive some insight from those that currently hold these positions.

Find somewhere to keep volunteering. I am 26, working a full time job that allows me to take my weekends and 3 afternoons a week to coach. Everyone I talk to in the profession has told me you need to pay your dues as a volunteer. I did 4 yrs of paid HS coaching and now volunteer at the University I graduated from. I also got my USATF Level I cert and will be looking to get a level II next fall. I would be happy to have a full time job by the time I am 30.

The bottom line is coaching is a tight market now too, so you have to volunteer or take the low paying jobs. It sucks, but there are very few people making a living as a coach directly out of college without national level accomplishments or serious local connections.

Helfrick wrote:

The bottom line is coaching is a tight market now too, so you have to volunteer or take the low paying jobs. It sucks, but there are very few people making a living as a coach directly out of college without national level accomplishments or serious local connections.

You're right except coaching is ALWAYS a tight market. Unfortunately so many schools love to have a big name on the coaching staff even if the person has no legitimate coaching credentials. You see this everywhere and regardless of how long they fail to produce.