The first installment of Coaches Changing Jobs discussed finances, success, other job responsibilities, family happiness and coaching staff that should be considered before taking that new position. Here are some other items that a coach may want to investigate before making that move.
6. Administration- If you have never worked for an administrator who had little or no interest in athletics, you cannot fully appreciate how important administrative support is to a head football coach. The ability to hire assistant coaches in teaching positions and financial concerns are just two of the things in which administrators need to help the head coach. If there is a teacher wanting to keep your best offensive lineman after school for discipline or academic reasons, a great administrator can solve that problem. They can help find money to feed the team, buy that weight rack or charter that bus. That great administrator may help you create that new weight class. When times are tough, they will support you in the community and offer encouragement. When taking a new job, it is important to evaluate the superintendent and the principal in regards to their football support. Another issue to consider- how long do you expect the superintendent and principal to remain at the school? As a general rule, it is usually not good when the guy in charge did not hire you to start with. One more thing- just because he is a former football coach is no guarantee he will be supportive of football.
7. Financial Condition of the Football Program- It is important that a school have a solid financial plan in place through gate receipts, booster clubs, etc. to finance football. If they have little or no money, the new coach will spend much of his time dealing with ways to finance the program. What is it costing the players to play football? Does the superintendent give any money? Who pays for what? Some smaller communities don’t have the community support to raise the needed funds. If they haven’t won much and the gate receipts are poor, the new coach may find he has no money for anything but the basic needs. There may be some athletes at the school, but you will spend so much time fund raising, you may have less time to coach.
8. If you take this job, where will you be five years from now? This may very well be the most important thing to consider. What is your career goal? If this job does not work out, where will you and your family go from here? Many coaches take a job because they feel that they can win at this school and then move on to a bigger job. Some coaches take a job for the bigger paycheck, but go to a school that has little or no football success. How long can they stay? Will taking this job help you toward your career goal? Most coaches are looking for that final head job where they make a good salary, can win consistently and their family is happy. If you find that one, stay as long as possible. Some coaches want to be administrators, and they might take a job because it is a good school system that pays administrators well. They can coach for a few years and then move into administration.
One thing for sure, every coach looks at things differently and values each of the above in a different manner. The bottom line is when you apply for a job, investigate the community, school and football program as thoroughly as possible. When you go for an interview, you need to question them as much as they question you.
The best thing you can do to increase your chances for that great job is to do a tremendous job of the one you have now. If you do, you may find that special job will be looking for you rather than you looking for that special job.
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