Coach Interview Questions
Thursday, September 25, 2014
As the curtain draws on another season committees will start turning their attention towards next season. Many clubs will find themselves searching for coaches for a number of their teams.
Irrespective of whether the person is known to the club or not, there are some essential procedures that should be undertaken before the appointment is made. Writing clear position descriptions, advertising for the appropriate person, meeting with the potential coach, screening potential coaches and conducting reference checks are significant features of the appointment process.
Developing a policy for the selection of appropriately qualified coaches in alignment with the purpose statement and the club coaching trademark is of paramount importance.
For the appointment of coaches, the interview is an important time to not only find out more about the applicant but provide them with some background knowledge on your club and its purpose and its coaching trademark.
Before interviews start, it is important for your club to create role descriptions and form an understanding of the type of coaches you are looking to attract. The interview should be used as a chance to assess the candidates’ personal coaching philosophies, knowledge and understanding of the game, people management and organisational skills, and their ability to inspire and motivate players.
Some specific coach interview questions for potential coaches for different age and development groups follow.
Coach Interview Questions
U/8-U/12 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
Experience
What is your previous coaching experience, in particular, with this age group?
Philosophy
- What do you see as the most important reason children want to play football?
- What elements of the game do you believe you can develop in the players at this age group?
- How important is winning to you? Why?
- What are your thoughts on modified rules for children this age?
- What are your thoughts on a selection policy for finals matches?
Role Modeling
- A player in your team has abused a teammate. As a coach, what would you do? OR
- A player in your team has abused an umpire and then his parents continue to vocalise their discontent at the umpire(s). As a coach, what would you do?
- How should you present yourself and act at training/game-day?
- What do you see as your responsibilities as a coach of 9/10/11-year-olds?
Player Management
- Do you have a solution on how you can make every player’s involvement at training enjoyable and beneficial?
- How would you manage players playing time and playing experience throughout the year?
- What resources could you use to assist you in your role?
- What policy would you implement to allow all players to have equal opportunity to display their skills?
Skill Knowledge and Development
- Explain to the panel how you would introduce or teach kicking to players in your team?
- You have 10 footballs and 10 cones in your coaching kit. You are in charge of 30 players. How would you conduct training to maximise all equipment and player involvement?
- What needs do you see the club being able to fulfil to assist you in your coaching?
- Are there any other questions or queries you (the coach) have of the panel?
U/13-U/15 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
Experience
What is your previous coaching experience, in particular, with this age group?
Philosophy
- What do you see as the most important reason teenagers want to play football at this football club?
- What elements of the game do you believe you can develop in the players at this age group?
- Do you believe in “tagging”? Why?
- What are your thoughts on the importance of tactics and introducing them to this age group?
Role Modeling
- A player in your team has abused a teammate/umpire. As a coach, what would you do?
- How should you present yourself and act at training/game-day?
- Do you have any ideas on how to reduce or eliminate “ugly parent” behaviour?
- Do you have a role in this?
Player Management
- What are your thoughts on rotating players in different positions and ground/game-time with this age group?
- How would you communicate and implement your game-plan to your players so that all could understand it?
- What resources could you use to assist you in your role?
- What is your opinion on player “burn-out” – both physical and psychological?
Skill Knowledge and Development
- Explain to the panel how you would improve the “tackling” ability of the “less physical” players in your team?
- You have 10 footballs and 10 cones in your coaching kit. You are in charge of 30 players. How would you conduct training to maximise all equipment and player involvement?
- What needs do you see the club being able to fulfil to assist you in your coaching?
- Are there any other questions or queries you (the coach) have of the panel?
U/16-U/18 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
Experience
Why do you want to coach this team and how is your coaching experience relevant to coaching the team?
Philosophy
- What style of play would you aim for in coaching this team?
- Which activities would you use to assist players with game-paced skills and decision-making?
- What do you perceive to be the success indicators of a youth coach?
- Briefly describe some of the match strategies you will use to maximise the performance of the team and the development of the players?
- What is your overall role as the coach of the youth team?
- What are your thoughts on coaches using “run withs”, “taggers”, extra players in the backline, “flooding” the opposition forward line?
Player Management
- What processes will you put in place to keep players and parents “in the picture”?
- How would you utilise the support staff?
- Do you believe youth players have characteristics and circumstances that require special communication and attention at this age group?
- Explain how have you kept up to date with current coaching methodologies and tactics?
- How would you combat a 3-4-5 zone on your team’s kick-outs?
- If one of your players is consistently “hooking the ball” when kicking, what do you believe needs to be done to reduce this?
Role Modeling
- A player in your team has abused a teammate/umpire. As a coach, what would you do?
- How should you present yourself and act at training/game-day?
- What needs do you see the club being able to fulfil to assist you in your coaching?
- Are there any other questions or queries the coach has?
Before you know it, pre-season training will be back underway and we’ll be counting down the days to another exciting year of footy.
Refer to Club Coaching Coordinator Handbook for more information.
