Interview Coaching Tips

Interview Coaching Tips





This information should be used as tips for the actual interview.



Dress for success, i.e. first impressions. (Might include school colors as part of the dress)

Proper attitude, act as if you already had the job, body language, eye contact, project confidence, etc.

Be quick to respond to all questions.

Emphasize the positive when discussing their school.

Philosophy, how do you handle athletes?

Convince the interview committee of your loyalty and its importance.

Be able to demonstrate your organizational skills.

Have a plan for developing your off-season program.

Be able to discuss the sharing of athletes.

Have an academic plan, how do you keep your athletes eligible?

Knowledge of your states rules and regulations, the committee needs to be convinced that you will abide by all rules.

Be computer literate; demonstrate the use of high-tech in scouting, grade checks, game plans, etc.

Don’t ad lib be honest and sincere.

Be yourself.



Considerations to Address When Applying For a Head Football or Assistant Coaching Position



The following information should be used as a guide when applying for a head coaching or assistant football job. The following items listed below should be followed that will allow you to make your decision based upon the following criteria:



Genuinely enthused and excited about.

Long term committed, both to the school and its community.

Positive in belief of the school, the community and football program.

Earnest in promoting and supporting the students and the program.

Contributing at a high level competency while actualizing your potential.

Involved in the youth of the community.

Is this a school that I would want my own kids to attend?

Is this a community that I truly want my family involved in?



What is the coaching situation? How many football-coaching stipends available? Does the head football coach have full say on who is allowed to coach? How many coaches? How many on staff coaches currently?



Questions To Consider Asking When Seeking a Head Football Coaching Position



The following information should be considered and thought through when looking into your choices for the right school to be the head football coach at:



What is the administrative feeling towards athletics? What part does athletics play in the total educational program? What are the school’s philosophies, goals and objectives concerning athletics?



How is the continuity among coaches? Do animosities exist between coaches of different sports? How many of the current staff will be returning?



What is the administrative policy concerning discipline? Who has the final say in regards to discipline matters?



What is the breakdown of administration? Who am I responsible to? What is expected of me?



Does the faculty have a positive or negative feeling towards athletics?



What support does the school receive from the student body, parents, boosters, and community?



What is the attitude of the athletes? Are they familiar with a winning program? If a losing program how much time will they give you to turn the program around?



What current disciplines have been established in athletics concerning training rules, conduct, quitting, failure of classes, alcohol, drugs, etc?



What is the social atmosphere among the students? Are there complications due to cross-cultural rivals? What are the socio-economical backgrounds of the students?



What types of off-season programs are available? Is there a summer weight program and if one is in place what has been its attendance? Does the program provide athletic periods?



Must I keep from the old staff? Will I be allowed to bring coaches with me (offensive and defensive coordinators)?



When keeping members of the old staff they must be able to conform to a new philosophy and new ideas. A Head coach must determine if the old staff can be loyal to change and his ideas for running his program.



Does the district allow time off for professional development (clinics, seminars, etc.)? Does the school provide funds for coaching clinics? If not, may coaches use sick leave time to attend clinics without negative pressure from the administration?



What are the expectations of the Head Coach and the football program in regards to fundraising (How much)?



Are there any traditions that can’t be changed (are any sacred)?



What is the policy concerning budgets? What is the football budget? What are the procedures for outside fundraising activities?



What facilities are available?



Practice fields Equipment?

Game field (lights) Basic football gear

Locker rooms Sleds, Storage

Varsity room Football dummies

Training room Media – Video, editing systems

Weight room Game day headphones

Gyms or field house Training supplies

Coach’s offices Uniforms game, practice



If facilities are not available, can compensation be made through a booster club or maintenance department? Does the administration welcome improvements and ingenuity? A head coach needs to improve on his facilities annually.



What are the policies and procedures concerning scouting, travel, buses, equipment maintenance, field preparation, meals, filming, etc?



Does the school allow a summer camp? 7 on 7? May a fee be charged?



Does the school have any special regulations other than those specified by the district or state association with regards to eligibility?



What are the salary ranges for teaching and coaching? What are the other responsibilities accompany teaching contracts? (Club supervision, committees, etc.)



Is the school willing to support a strong winning football program? Do the administrators, teachers, students and community want a strong program?



A football program should be managed with a business like approach. It should be well organized to function in a smooth, progressive and systematic manner. It should support the philosophy of the school climate, highlighted by accelerated goals, ideas, and its people. The ultimate goal of the school and the football program should be to meet the needs of the community and to become the best it can possibly be in a highly competitive environment.



Most Frequently Asked Interview Questions For

Head Football Coaching Position



The following questions are those most often asked during the interview process, be prepared to address each one in some detail.



Philosophy



What do you do with seniors once the season comes to an end?

Staff development / all sports.

Educational philosophy.

Offensive philosophy.

Defensive philosophy.

Off-season philosophy.



• Tell us about your strengths.



• Organizational skills must be evident.



• Tell us about your weaknesses.



• How would you get the faculty involved in the athletic program?



• What is your primary concern when developing your basic offense and defense?



• Explain your methodology of handling disciplinary cases?



• What are some of your strengths? What are some of your weaknesses?



• Why do you want his job? What do you know about the school district?



• How will you handle your football coaching staff assignments and organize your staff among the teams we promote – Varsity, Jr. Varsity, and freshman?



• What steps will you take to insure the academic eligibility of the athletes? What plans do you have for study halls?



• How do you see yourself with the administration at being important to the success of the overall program?



• How should the booster club be set up and should there be one club or a separate club for each sport? Is a school official part of the booster board? Who holds the boosters accountable?



• If we were to watch a practice what we would expect to see?



• If we were to observe your off-season program what should we expect?



• Do you encourage athletes to play other sports?



• What about the coaches on staff here now.



• Experience with budget



• Discipline procedures



• Getting support of community



• Jr. High program philosophy



• What does your wife do?



• Evaluation of coaches



• How do you balance your teaching & coaching responsibilities?



• Monitor no pass-no play



• Are you a good teacher-examples



• Punishment for kids who break team rules/district athletic rules



• Practice times and schedule (show an example)



• How will you handle the transition and opposition of your hiring



• 5 year plan (educational & coaching goals)



• Will you live in our community?



• How do you teach fundamentals?



• Install equity as AD/HC



• Elementary school involvement



• Kids smoking and drinking



• Girls program-relationship/policies/rules



• Why are you successful?



• Why should we hire you?



• Football in playoffs-kids goes to basketball/wrestling?



• Staff organization-top to bottom



• I am a 7th grade parent convince me my kid should play football.



• Team is 1-6 how do you approach the rest of the season



• 1st thing you will do when you get here



• Alignment of program 7-12



• Is all competition good



• What do you want graduated players to say about you and program



• Seniors after football season-how do handle them and situation?



• College scholarships-procedures etc.



• SAT prep/State Mandated Tests.



• Why you want come here



• Process of hiring staff



• Wife’s role



• Title 9-how will you be legal



• Computer / Video Tech Skills.



• How do you have equity in budget with all sports and justify football money?



• If we had an emergency at 10 o’clock on Sunday morning-where would we find you?



• 7th grade athletic periods, your feelings on this.



• Master schedule for athletics.



• Chain of command and who are you accountable to.



• What is a player’s coach?



• Booster club guidelines, please explain.



• Coaches social gatherings?



• Goals of your family?



• Teacher/educational community involvement.



• Date of hire to 1st practice plan.



• Would you like to teach a leadership class?



• Homecoming/parents night/ plan.



• Alumni relationships



• Relationship with middle school principal & P.E./coaching staff?



• Due process of students. (leadership council, players’ cadre)



• Passing State Mandated Tests or winning football games-which is more important to you.



• Do you schedule wins or high competition? (pre-season philosophy)



• Jr. High games winning or participation?



• Demonstrate knowledge of State Football rules for athletics and academics.



• Community service activities.



• Board meeting attendance



• Upset parent after the game handling the situation-other coaches involved.



• Relationship with local law officials.



• Steroid prevention.



• Management and leadership-what styles do you use?



• Local youth coaches-How do you handle them, involve them, and communicate to them.



• Travel Itinerary and transportation issues-rules for bus.



• Activity fund management.



• Student trainer and manager policy (girls)?



• Pep rallies-players involved or not and why.



• Wednesday night church and practice.



• Method to get numbers up for participating in athletics.



• Monitor other sports-how?



• Fundraising efforts? Why, how, how much -relationship with other school programs efforts



• Concession stands.



• Band relationships and communication -halftime; parent nights, traditions, football player’s play at halftime.