March 18, 2020
The Coronavirus/COVID19 Global Pandemic has affected all walks of life. Schools and Universities are closed or are closing, and coaches and athletes are all experiencing a new reality. As we focus on the health and safety of our families and loved ones, we are also turning our attention to what is next for those coaches that are now finding themselves coaching from home.
Safety – The most important thing that we as coaches can do during this crisis is to keep ourselves and our family safe and healthy. At this point in time, the CDC has TWO important steps to keep people safe and healthy. Wash your hands often and practice social distancing. We need everyone to stick to these guidelines and understand the severity of what we as a society are up against.
Facts – There is a lot of information out there about Coronavirus/COVID19. It is important for us as coaches to “look up.” Coaches should look to their administrators for important and relevant information as it pertains to their schools and teams. To learn more about Coronavirus/COVID19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will have the most current and relevant information. https://www.cdc.gov/
Planning – Coaches are home and desperate to feel productive. While remaining “present” and in the moment, now is a great time to start sketching out what the next 7-10 days may hold for you and your team. The moment requires that your plans be flexible and that you accept what you can control and what is out of your hands. Will you be ready to lead your team this summer? Will you be ready to recruit? Now is the time to start thinking of the questions we didn’t know we’d need to ask 10 days ago.
Work from Home – Coaches crave the office, the locker room, the court, the field. Working from home and coaching from home is not a natural adjustment for most coaches. Here are three tips to help transition to working from home:
- Set a schedule. If you are used to getting up at 6:00a and getting a workout, get up at 6:00a and get a workout. Don’t sleep in. Create a schedule and work to hold yourself to it. We all need structure and when you work from home, you oftentimes have to create that structure for yourself.
- Find your switch. For me, I’m not at work if my shoes aren’t on. What is it in your actions that can flip the switch to put you in that “work” mode?
- Create a workspace. You aren’t just working from home, you are working from your home office. Where is that home office and what are your office hours?
Lead by Example – We are going to be asking our teams to take their health seriously. Beyond safety, we are going to be asking them to take their nutrition and fitness seriously. We, as coaches and leaders must lead by example.
Communication – Your team needs to hear from you. You need to hear from your team. Communication is a two-way street and requires active participation. As coaches, we must initiate this communication during these times of social isolation.
How are you Coaching from Home? Join the conversation and let us know using the hashtag #CoachfromHome on twitter.
Brian Rosario is currently an assistant women’s basketball coach for Pepperdine University. Rosario has over 15 years of coaching basketball experience including the last three years as the head coach of Chandler-Gilbert Community College in Chandler, AZ.
Justin Scanson is Director of Marketing at Just Play Sports Solutions. Scanson has over 20 seasons of basketball, baseball, and softball coaching experience from youth to college (Montana State Women’s Basketball). Scanson’s mission has been and continues to be helping coaches become the best coach they can be.
Just Play Sports Solutions provides coaching staffs with a complete coaching solution – all in one application. From building playbooks, scouting opponents, teaching players and coordinating recruiting schedules, you will prepare faster and engage better with today’s athletes using Just Play.
