Dealing with the “Other” Coach

The following article was prompted by a question posted on our Coaches Discussion Board by Chris Corlett, a member who is the Head Boys and Girls Coach at the Oswego Free Academy in Oswego, NY, and who has players working with other, local coaches.

Because you work with your players for only several months each year, you will inevitably face the situation of “the other coach” who will be working with one or more of your players the rest of the year, and often, during your season.

Other coaches include local teaching pros, parents, coaches at summer camps and even USTA regional and national coaches, depending on the level of your players.

How can you retain your authority as overall coach of your team when other coaches are working with your players, and sometimes, giving conflicting advice?

The good and bad news is, that while there is no set answer to address this problem which has plagued high school coaches for decades, there are a number of means of addressing this situation satisfactorily for most coaches.

The article continues with advice for high school coaches faced with a parent or local pro who works with one of their players, with examples of how a different coaches have faced and dealt with this problem.