This article is taken from “The Volunteer Coach” by Bob Sessoms.
To make a complete list of qualifications desired by all churches for their coaches would be both impractical and impossible. However, these desired traits are listed in belief that many of the qualities can be found in most potential coaches. The volunteer coach should be:
1. A born-again Christian who is an active member of the local church.
2. One who exhibits an evangelistic concern for his or her players.
3. A person who feels he is in the center of God’s will for his life and that the responsibility of coaching is as important as any job in the church.
4. One who exhibits a genuine love and understanding of the age group he or she coaches.
5. Someone who is enthusiastic for the sport, has a sense of humor, exhibits patience, shows kindness, is dependable, is loyal, is emotionally mature, is considerate of others, is alert to individual needs, is fair in his dealings with persons, demonstrates respect for authority, is willing to listen, can be adaptable, and who inspires his players.
6. A person who has a knowledge of the fundamental skills of the sport and the rules of the game.
7. A coach who is able to communicate with his players through demonstration and verbal explanation. He should be able to organize, teach, and deal with individuals as well as with a group (team).
8. One who is willing to accept the philosophy and policies adopted by the church.
9. A committed person who will accept his responsibilities to the completion of the task.
Editor’s Note: The Volunteer Coach is out of print. Bob Sessoms was a pioneer in the field of Church Recreation and served on the national staff of the Church Recreation Department of the Southen Baptist Convention.
