School’s out! It’s time to rest—right?! Well, if you’re a coach, you likely can’t fully rest throughout the summer. Maybe you coach a team through summer conditioning or pick up a league coaching gig in the summer months. Regardless, it’s safe to say that the summer can knock you out of your routine, which can be tough to pick back up once school starts. That’s why we’ve outlined some tips for coaches in the summer below.
Set goals for the summer.
What do you want to accomplish over your time off? Do you want to get better at a sport or hobby yourself, or learn more ways to coach your athletes better? Do you want to learn or master something new? Take some time in the beginning of the summer to set some clear, actionable, and achievable goals for yourself–and keep up with them! Check in regularly to ensure they’re still attainable, adjust as needed, and check off goals as you achieve them. This will help you feel accomplished at the end of the break.
Create a new routine—and keep it!
Be flexible with your routine throughout the summer, but make sure you’re still keeping one. Try to keep your eating habits about the same as you would during the school year, and don’t let your sleep schedule get too off-kilter. Continue working out (and maybe even work out more now that you have more time).
Take a break
You have a lot going on throughout the school year. Take a well-deserved break! Whether it’s a vacation or a staycation, make sure you carve out some time to focus on your own well-being rather than your students’ or athletes’.
Give your athletes some structure
Many athletes can go through their summer feeling untethered without any structure. If they don’t have any type of summer conditioning (or maybe even if they do!), give them some recommended workouts, stretches, meal ideas, and more in order to make the transition back to the season more seamless. Just keep them fun so they still feel like they’re getting a much-needed break as well!
Need some more tips for coaching or youth sports in general? We’ve got you covered! Head to our blog for more resources, and let us know what your sports program needs—we likely have a solution!