A master of coaching education is generally not needed for most coaching positions, but it can enhance a person’s career, and there are several reasons a person might decide to pursue such a degree. Master’s programs may include learning about topics such as nutrition, sport psychology and kinesiology, and this knowledge can enhance a person’s coaching skills. Below are three reasons a person might pursue such a degree.
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Changing Careers
People may come to a coaching career because of a prominent career as an athlete or a background in playing sports. However, others may shift into coaching from other careers paths. They might be teachers who find they enjoy working with kids to help them reach their potential through teamwork, parents who started coaching a kid’s team because there was no one else to do it and discovered a passion for the job, or people who have worked in other positions for a team but would like to transition into coaching. A master of coaching education might be the right choice for career changers, particularly those who already have a bachelor’s degree in another subject. It can also help ensure that the person entering the career field is conversant with the latest theory, approaches to team cohesiveness and effective coaching. It may also be a way for a person to make some connections in the field.
Enhancing a Career
A master’s in coaching education could be a way for a person to make themselves more competitive on the job market. There are many qualities, including experience, that a school, athletic organization or team will look at before hiring a coach, but a master’s degree may give a person that extra edge. This may be particularly true if the person is seeking a higher salary or to work at a higher level, such as a top university or with a professional team.
Incorporate Other Disciplines
Some people who are already working as coaches or who are athletes working on a bachelor’s degree that will lead to a coaching career may want to pursue a coaching education graduate degree because they want to expand their knowledge and toolbox for effective coaching. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists typical duties of a coach as including the ability to analyze players’ strengths and weaknesses, develop conditioning programs for players and motivate players. A graduate education in coaching education may give coaches a strong foundation in everything fromsportst psychology to ethics to strategy, communication, leadership skills and more. Some of these are skills that can be developed on the job, but others benefit from a solid knowledge base of the latest research. A coach with a master’s degree in the field can be certain of bringing the most up-to-date knowledge into the locker room and onto the field.
The road to becoming a coach at a community, high school, university or professional sports level is a varied one. According to the BLS, the field is expected to grow at a faster-than-average rate in the years ahead. With a master of coaching education, a person will be well-equipped to step into that growing career field.
