JJIBA-HIRING AND EVALUATION OF COAHCES

File: JJIBA

HIRING AND EVALUATION OF COACHES

The most essential factor in an educationally sound athletic program is a well-qualified coach. The coach is an important link between sports and the instructional program and the principles of Maine’s system of Learning Results, between sports and character development, and between sports in school and long-term health and fitness. It is the intent of the MSAD #11 Board that the school district provide quality coaching in its athletic programs.

A. The MSAD #11 Board’s View of a Well-qualified Coach

Coaching is a special kind of teaching. A coach not only teaches, refines, and reinforces skills, but is also a role model for the student-athletes he/she coaches. Beyond knowledge of the rules and fundamentals of his/her sport, a well-qualified coach will have organizational, communication, motivational and, especially, teaching skills. A well-qualified coach appreciates the influence he/she has as a role model and mentor and conducts him/herself accordingly.

In addition to these fundamentals, a well-qualified coach:

1. Understands that, first and foremost, he/she is a teacher;

2. Is sensitive to the needs of maturing adolescents and assists in their physical, intellectual, social and emotional development;

3. Recognizes that students are diverse in their characteristics and backgrounds including, age, maturity, gender, size and culture and adjusts his/her approach as appropriate;

4. Has a realistic sense of the level at which student athletes should be expected to perform;

5. Promotes sportsmanship, self-discipline and respect, both on and off the playing field;

6. Communicates in a positive manner rather than through intimidation;

7. Encourages competitive spirit, but not a “win at all costs” attitude;

8. Provides a fair opportunity for students to participate in competition;

9. Recognizes the difference between developmental sports programs and more intensive varsity-level sports;

10. Encourages student athletes to explore various athletic activities, both interscholastic and intramural, rather than to specialize in a single sport at an early age;

11. Recognizes the need for balance in the lives of student athletes, including academic, family and social needs; and

12. Adheres to the same standards of conduct with respect to students as classroom teachers are expected to do.

B. COACHING JOB DESCRIPTIONS

The Superintendent and Athletic Director will be responsible for developing job descriptions for coaches and others on the athletic staff (e.g., assistant coaches, trainers) that are consistent with the MSAD #11 Board’s view of coaching. Job descriptions will be approved by the MSAD #11 Board.

C. HIRING AND ASSIGNMENT OF COACHES

It is the intent of MSAD #11 to hire well-qualified coaches for all of its athletic programs. Because of the relationship between teaching and coaching, it will be the school district’s practice to secure coaches, to the extent practicable, from its teaching staff. If it is necessary to secure individuals from outside the teaching staff, the Superintendent shall employ only those persons deemed to have sufficient knowledge and experience to teach the fundamentals and rules of the sport, experience in working or volunteering with adolescents, and current training in sports first aid and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

The MSAD #11 Board delegates the hiring of coaches to the Superintendent, who then informs the MSAD #11 Board of his/her decisions.

All persons hired as coaches or assistant coaches must have successfully completed, or within two weeks successfully complete, the UMO/MCSC Maine Coaching Eligibility Course or its equivalent and appropriate first aid and CPR training. In addition, all persons hired as high school coaches in activities governed by the Maine Principals’ Association must meet all coaches eligibility requirements established by the MPA.

All persons hired as coaches for activities governed by the Maine Principals Association (MPA) must agree to follow the MPA Code of Ethics, Board policies, school district and Athletic Department administrative regulations.

Consistent with the MSAD #11 Board’s policies on hiring and nondiscrimination/equal opportunity/affirmative action, the Superintendent will be responsible for developing and implementing procedures for recruiting, selecting, recommending and assigning coaches. No applicant will be hired as a coach or assistant coach without Maine Department of Education approval, including fingerprinting and criminal background check requirements.

Hiring of coaches shall be on an annual or seasonal basis, with no expectation of continued employment in a coaching position.

Coaches may be disciplined or terminated in accordance with MSAD #11 Board policies or administrative regulations.

D. EVALUATION OF COACHES

In an effort to maintain a well qualified coaching staff and the integrity of the school unit’s athletic programming, coaches will be evaluated annually. (At the end of a regular season).

The Principal and Athletic Director will be responsible for developing and implementing a process for evaluation of coaches. It is expected that the process will include a self-appraisal component, and that the administrative and self-appraisals will include knowledge of sports, coaching skills and techniques, organizational skills, attitudes, communication skills, behavior, and ethics.

Cross Reference: JJI—Philosophy of Athletics
JJIB—Sponsorship and Evaluation of Athletic Programs
JJIBB—Sportsmanship
JJIBC—Relations with Booster Groups (or alternative code KJA)

Adopted: November 6, 2008