Anonymous
Years ago
Noticed that most clubs are really struggling to get junior coaches these days, especially for lower grades. What would be the best way to combat this, a lot of clubs offer half price fees if a parent or sibling steps in, maybe it's time to offer freebies. Or is it time to cap teams.
Anon
Years ago
Why would you cap teams. Want sport to grow. Maybe BSA should actively encouragecoaching pathways like they do for refs and players.
How can you grow if you have div 7 kids running around not having a clue and not being coached. Might as well play social, less cost.
Netball, AFL, Soccer ... parents step up. Siblings step up. Fans, family, ex-players step up.
Basketball ... parents expect everything handed to them.
No club has coaches because in basketball there's too few doing too much.
PersonalFoul
Years ago
I think some of is supply and demand I know some junior clubs in growing areas in Melbourne who have too many kids and not enough quality coaches.
Discounts for parents is great, but some parents aren't confident to do it.
Paying coaches I think is nice even its just $500 for travel etc - factor it in kids playing fees.
Hard to find great volunteers
I think you will find those in fulltime basketball roles from the top down are really underpaid and attact the apropriate people for the amount they are paid. Their ability to attract volunteers, people skills, communication skills and ability to lead and mentor volunteers is what hampers the ability to attract and retain dependable people to these roles.
Comes from the top (High Performance Manager) down in the states I've lived in. SA is defineately no exception from my observations.
hoopie
Years ago
From my experience, it's very hard to find parents, university students or older teenagers with the confidence + knowledge + competence + time to coach.
Many probably have never done a coaching course, and aren't likely to even when they do end up coaching, which makes it even harder to find 'good' coaches who are teaching the appropriate skills for the level and age group.
Add to that the fact that 90% will only be involved with a team when a family member is in it, which brings in its shitload of politics and pressure to 'toe the club line', and I can understand why it's so hard to find 'good' coaching for juniors at lower levels and younger age groups. It's a bit like teaching - it's a job which is easy to do a poor or average job at, but needs a specialist to do it well.
Div 1 coach
Years ago
They don't coach because it’s easier to blame someone else for little Johnny not being very good, and then there’s forums like this that shows just how ugly this sport in this state really is!
The clubs who have a club style of play that is embedded from U10 - seniors are great at getting parents in to coach. There is a consistency for players and coaches so easy to pass on coaching drills and game style that aters also find easy yo unserstand and build on as they go up age groups and divisions. Those clubs that let their mates coach and have poor structure in their juniors where every team has a different structure and drills and lack continuity and leadership struggle. So they are capping and shoving players back to domestic and the same happening there. So juniors results continue to plateau and players leave for other clubs or the sport all together. Look to clubs like Rockets, Forestville and Sturt and in some age groups Norwood where numbers are good and coaches more available. Souths not too bad as well and on the improve with new leadership. Kids and parents need some stability and a similar structure as they progress gives confidence and with that more parents who watch and learn and willing to give it a go.
UseTaHoop
Years ago
Do any clubs still offer fee discounts for kids of parents who coach?
I played for a club that did this. My Dad coached totally different teams (age, gender). My Dad did step in for carnivals, and coaching or reffing school teams. Some form of fee relief was offered by the club.
I ended up getting recruited into coaching players experiencing disability. Voluntarily for a few weeks, then as a paid staff member. That got my foot in the door of a fairly interesting career. I went back to coaching pro bono for a few of years. Basketball and Aussie Rules. I still do some pro bono work for some local disability-centred organisations and families in need, but I also do some paid work in addition to my full time job.
In many career fields, pro bono or voluntary work is a great way to get your foot in the door. Hobbies and interests can always be shared with others and put to good use. My son has taught older people to use iPad and other technology through community service at school. He has also done tech related stuff for paid employment.
IMHO Unis and TAFEs can be good recruiting grounds for volunteers if the voluntary role has a good job match with the future career path of the students.
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