As you can see, baseball is not called “the national pastime” without good reason.

For the love of the game and to make a good living, you can become a baseball coach and fulfill your passion for the sport while helping aspiring players achieve greatness.

So if the distinctive sound of a bat blasting a baseball into orbit fills your heart with joy, if you thrill to that “thunk” the ball makes when it smacks into a well-worn leather glove, read on to learn how you can train to be a baseball coach.

In this article you’ll discover:

• How much money you can make as a baseball coach
• The required training and certifications
• Professional groups to join
• Employment Opportunities
• Finding players as a private coach or owner of a training camp
• Plus helpful tips for baseball coaches

How much money can you make?

Private pitching, batting and general skills baseball coaches currently charge $50 or more for a 30-minute session. The skill level of the player and the experience of the coach are key factors in how much private coaches can charge. As players improve, they are ready to learn advanced skills, for which private coaches can charge more.

Managers of Major League Baseball teams earn the most of anyone in the sport. Out of 33 MLB manager salaries compiled by USA Today, the median annual salary is $1.3 million.

Five MLB managers earn $4 million or more per year, with Mike Scioscia, manager of the Los Angeles Angels, sitting at the top of the list with an annual salary of $6 million.

At the college level, top coaches can make a six-figure income, climbing to $1 million or more for performers who lead their teams to national championships.

Lower on the career ladder, college assistant coaches earn an average salary just under $34,000 per year, according to Salary.com.

High school baseball coaches are typically full-time teachers who make extra money coaching. The baseball coaching stipend ranges from $800 to $3,000 per season, depending on the locality. In terms of the time commitment, it works out to $20.84 per hour on average.

Training and Certification

You’ll need a college degree to coach baseball at just about any level beyond Little League, which offers volunteer unpaid positions. Your degree can be in any subject, but since you are pursuing a career in athletics it may make the most sense to major in areas such as sports medicine, exercise and sports science, physiology, kinesiology, nutrition and fitness, and physical education.

USA Baseball recently began offering a free accreditation program for coaches. You can sign up here. The program is for everyone in the baseball coaching community, regardless of age, level, or experience.

The National Federation of State High School Associations offers a baseball Coach Certification Program. This is a professional credential offered to individuals who are currently coaching or aspire to coach high school baseball. Requirements for certification vary by state.

While neither certification is an absolute requirement, professional certification is widely recognized as the mark of a serious coach. It will also give you a competitive advantage in the job market.

During your training you’ll learn the primary drills for practice. These include pitcher’s fielding practice drills (PLP drills), designed to perfect various pick-off techniques for pitchers while putting in a lot of reps in a short period. Here’s a video clip to illustrate this training.

A good practice session keeps the players moving and interacting like a well-oiled machine. Each practice will typically focus on a group of related drills or a single technique. 

During your own training as a coach you’ll learn these common practice drills:

•         Catch, Tag and Throw
•         Cut-Relay Play to Home Plate
•         Fly Balls
•         Ground Ball and Base Coverage
•         Infielders Throwing Across Rotation
•         Mass Ground Balls and Fly Balls
•         Rundown or the Ambush play
•         Shortstop Overthrow of First Base
•         Sliding
•         Three Groups Drills
•         Two Bases Relay
•         Fly Balls Three Toss Drill
•         Wild Pitch/Passed Ball Communication
•         Three Players, One Base Drill

Here’s another video clip illustrating some of these drills.

Professional Groups to Join

The American Baseball Coaches Association is the premiere organization for coaches of the sport. Annual membership costs $55. These benefits come with membership:

•         Access to the association’s Coaching Resource Library with drill videos, charts and diagrams added weekly.
•         Receive Inside Pitch Magazine, sent to members every other month.
•         Attend the ABCA Convention and other ABCA events for free or at discounted rates.
•         Listen to the ABCA Podcast.
•         Protect yourself as a coach with a $1 million liability insurance policy.
•         Receive a weekly newsletter of association updates and relevant coaching information.
•         Post and search coaching jobs on the association’s job board.
•         Nominate your program and players for major awards, including All-America, All-Region, National Players of the Year, Academic Excellence and more.
•         Network with more than 7,000 coaches at the annual ABCA Convention. Connect with coaches in your region and local community at the association’s Barnstormers Regional Clinics.
•         Exchange ideas with coaches in the forums & chat features of the My ABCA mobile app.
•         Join the Official ABCA Members LinkedIn Group.

Employment

The first place to look for employment as a baseball coach is the American Baseball Coaches Association jobs board. You can filter your search by employment time and career level. The site even lets you export your searches into a spreadsheet. New opportunities are posted just about every day.

You can also run customized searches and receive automatic email notifications on new openings through Indeed.com. A recent search revealed nearly 100 employment listings in the last 30 days for baseball coaches at almost every experience level.

As a baseball player, if you excel in college you could go on to play in the major league or at least get picked up by a minor league team. This playing experience can help you break into coaching at the college level and, eventually, the minor and major leagues, as you acquire more experience and post a record of success.

Joining The American Baseball Coaches Association provides plenty of networking opportunities. You can connect with other coaches, build online relationships and grow your contacts to the point where new openings come to you.

Summer camps and youth leagues are great entry-level jobs for new baseball coaches. Get your resume to them well before the season begins. You are not likely to have nearly as much luck finding summer work if you apply a week or a month before the camp starts.

Finding Clients

Managers in the major leagues have entire departments within the organization dedicated to recruiting top talent, negotiating salaries and arranging player trades with other teams. As a manager or assistant manager in the pros, your main job in finding talent will be to evaluate whether you want a particular player on the team. This involves careful review of game videos to assess a player’s strengths, as well as in-person interviews to gauge whether a prospect will literally play well with the rest of your ball club.

As a college baseball coach, you’ll spend some of your time looking for players by recruiting high school students to attend your college and join the team. You’ll meet with prospective players and their families, as well as reviewing their game videos and statistics to evaluate performance.

If coaching at the high school level, players will typically come to you during spring tryouts.

If you’re running your own baseball camp, reach out to area high schools and junior high schools, so they know a summer camp is available where their players can hone their skills.

Your other marketing efforts should include setting up a page for your private camp on social media platforms and posting regularly. Lots of photos. Helpful content such as training tips or sample videos of your own practice sessions. All of your social media posts should include a link back to your business website. Also check out this article on encouraging your students to give you great reviews on platforms such as Yelp.

Good to know:

• Buy liability insurance. How much coverage you need will depend on several factors, such as your net worth and the value of your private coaching business. Some professional organizations may include liability coverage as a benefit of membership. Only you can decide if the coverage amount is sufficient for your business. Liability insurance is important because injuries can happen in all sports and you could potentially be held at fault, unfairly or not.

In time you may be able to depend on players to help bring equipment to afternoon practice, but if you’re just starting out or coaching kids, chances are you’ll be the one lugging the equipment bag. Seasoned coaches recommend bringing these items to every practice:

•         First aid kit
•         Extra bottled water
•         That day’s practice plan, broken into detailed drills and the time segments for each.
•         Bats, balls, and any other equipment you need, such as an extra catcher’s mask.

In addition, here’s what to bring on game day:

•         Cell phone in case of an emergency
•         Your roster of players, their positions and the batting order
•         Scorebook and pencil
•         (For youth leagues) Worksheet with substitution rotations so everyone gets equal playing time

If you enjoyed this article, check out some other PocketSuite.io content that can help you grow your career as a baseball coach. Here’s a great place to start.

PocketSuite has thousands of business owners who all started where you are right now. Our community is always happy to help you ramp up, grow your client base, and achieve your income goals, both within the PocketSuite app and as part of our exclusive Facebook Community Group. PocketSuite’s vision is for any professional to be able to work for themselves and make a great living. It starts here. It starts with you. It starts today. Let’s get started, download PocketSuite now! Feel free to reach out with any questions (we’d love to hear from you)! Text us @ (415) 841-2300.

If you’re an avid basketball player plotting a career in athletics, take encouragement in the knowledge that coaching basketball is one of the most professionally satisfying and well-paying jobs in sports.

Basketball coaches teach their players how to play the game and work together as a team toward victory. As a coach you’ll organize practice sessions, supervise players’ physical conditioning, study game videos of individual players and the team, and develop winning game strategies. Your goal is to motivate and guide your players to greatness.

Perhaps the most important first step in becoming a basketball coach is to play a lot of basketball. Firsthand experience gives you comprehensive knowledge of the sport and helps you communicate with your players.

Many basketball coaches at the high school level are also teachers. If you are already a state-certified teacher you may have a better chance at finding work as a high school basketball coach.

To become a basketball coach, the basic training requires a bachelor’s degree, extensive experience playing the sport and at least some coaching experience, such as at the assistant level. We’ll go over all these topics.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects job opportunities for coaches will grow 11 percent through 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations. Increasing participation in high school and college basketball programs is expected to boost that demand for coaches.

As a basketball coach, you can work with players at levels ranging from high school to college and professional. Salaries climb dramatically as you move up the career ladder.

In this article you’ll discover:

• How much money you can make as a basketball coach
• The required training and certifications
• Professional groups to join
• Employment Opportunities
• Finding players as a private coach or owner of a training camp
• Plus helpful tips for basketball coaches

How much money can you make?

Private basketball coaches earn an average of $35,382 per year.

According to Stateuniversity.com, part-time high school basketball coaches earn between $1,000 and $3,000 per year during the playing season. The median annual wage for full-time high school coaches is $33,780, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $18,970, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $77,880. Salary is a factor of experience, performance and location.

At the college level, coaching salaries are a whole other ballgame. Basketball coach Tony Bennett, who leads the NCAA championship team at the University of Virginia, receives a base salary of $525,000 plus performance incentives of $1.175 million. And according to TheStreet.com, Bennett isn’t even among the Top 10 highest paid college basketball coaches. The top distinction goes to Mike Krzyzewski, head basketball coach at Duke University, where he receives an annual salary just under $9 million.

When you make it to head coach of an NBA team, the average salary of a basketball coach is $3 million a year, according to Boyd’s Bets. Gregg Popovich, head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, was paid $11 million for the most recent season. That works out to more than $134,000 per game during the regular season.

Training and Certification

A Bachelor’s Degree in exercise science and physical education is considered standard preparation for a career in basketball coaching, especially if you aspire to the higher levels of collegiate and professional play.

Some schools offer degree programs focused on coach training. In these programs you’ll learn how to work with and motivate athletes, develop game plans, as well as physical conditioning and skills development. Injury prevention is another core topic.

Here’s a video on basketball coaching 101 to give you an idea of a training session and basic drills that players run with their coaches.

Most states require public high school coaches to hold certification. To become certified, you must complete approved courses in coaching, CPR, and first aid and pass an examination. Requirements for high school coaches also often include a background check, drug testing and job training.

Some educational programs may help you find an opportunity to gain coaching experience. But if you’re on your own, you’ll have to get creative. While you’re still in college, volunteering as an assistant for a local high school basketball team is an option. Youth summer camps are another opportunity to gain coaching experience and make some money between semesters. You can also apply to be team manager for your college basketball team or volunteer in any capacity that helps you learn how to become a college basketball coach.

As part of your training, take time to learn how to analyze game tapes. This is an essential part of the job, whether you’re an assistant or head basketball coach. By watching game tapes you can study the moves and strategies of teams and individual players. The goal is to be able to recognize offense and defense strategies, as well as how to adapt them to your team’s strengths. The best way to learn game analysis is by talking to other basketball coaches, finding out what they look for and how they break down game play.

Professional Groups to Join

The National Association of Basketball Coaches offers membership categories for Men’s coaches and Women’s coaches.

Membership fees range from $40 annually for high school coaches up to $450 for head coaches at NCAA Division 1 schools.

The principal benefits of membership include continuing education opportunities and networking with other coaches.

The annual NABC Convention, held during the NCAA Men’s Final Four, is the top professional development event in men’s basketball coaching. Members have the opportunity to purchase Final Four tickets.

The association’s Professional Development Series (PDS) Certification is held during the convention and covers coaching development, ethics and personal development. Members receive official PDS certification and the chance to earn continuing education credits.

Another benefit is access to NABC Championship Basketball Clinics with discount registration. These clinics provide coaches at every level with year-round professional development. Clinics are held around the country every spring and fall, and feature programming by many of the game’s most honored coaches.

The association also offers a host of training videos, awards programs and recognition by peer members for your achievements as a basketball coach.

Employment

Demand for trained basketball coaches remains strong. A search on Indeed.com turned up more than 100 job openings for basketball coaches at schools and camps throughout the country in the last 30 days.

If you are interested in full-time basketball coaching, you should concentrate on college or professional basketball. Many high school coaches work with basketball teams as a side role to their primary duties as a teacher. While the rewards can be highly satisfying, the pay is nowhere near on par with the salaries the college and pro coaches make.

Finding Clients

When you’re coaching at the pro, collegiate and especially high school level, chances are the players are coming to you or your staff is actively recruiting new talent. This is a critical part of a college coach’s job, since the entire team moves on after graduation every 4-5 years.

College athletic departments typically have a dedicated staff who handle scholarship budges and assist the head coach and assistant coaches in their recruiting efforts.

If you run a private basketball clinic or summer camp, here are strategies to help you sign more students:

•         Partner with your local high schools and let the coaches know you have off-season camps and private training.
•         List your business on as many online camp directories as you can. Parents use these directories to find camps for their kids. One of the most popular directories is CampChannel.com.
•         Set up a business page for your basketball camp on social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter. Post regular photos and news about your offers and activities, with links back to your business website.

Good to know:

Stack Coaches and Trainers says preparation and attention to details are the top attributes of successful basketball coaches.

•         Preparation

Coaches should never believe they know enough. Instead, always be learning, practicing and planning.

•         Focus on the Details

If players make fundamental errors on techniques during practice, you can expect they’ll do the same during a game.

•         Maintain Discipline

You set the standards. It’s your job to be sure players meet those standards. Perfection should be the goal. The fact that perfection may not always be attainable doesn’t matter. It should still be the goal.

•         Intensity

This doesn’t mean angry screaming when something goes wrong. It means coaching with purpose and focus. Over time, the team will adopt your personality and mindset toward the game. When players understand they have a job to do on the basketball court, they work harder toward the goal of winning.

•         Maintain a Positive Attitude

You’ll go farther with a spoonful of sugar than a shot glass brimming with vinegar in motivating your players. Being positive produces long-lasting results. This also means shutting down negativity when it crops up in your players.

•         Be Confident and Consistent

If you are uncertain, that will creep into the mindset of your players. Without consistency, your players don’t know what to expect. Treat everyone the same to build and sustain trust.

•         Be Yourself

The expression “keeping it real” applies just as much to coaches as anyone. Sincerity and honesty are always the best tools for building a smooth-running team.

•         Show You Care with Clear Communication

People respond better when they are led by someone who clearly cares about them. This will come through in the way you communicate to the team. Listen to your players. That is how you will come to know them.

•         Cultivate a Winning Culture

A winning culture involves dedication, commitment, competitiveness, and pursuing high standards. Don’t settle for less than you expect, otherwise you’re holding back your team. The team comes first. Winning the next game is the priority.

•         If you offer private coaching, buy a liability insurance policy and keep it up to date. How much coverage you need will depend on several factors, such as your net worth and the value of your private business. Liability insurance is important because in all sports injuries can happen and you could potentially be blamed.

If you enjoyed this article, check out some other PocketSuite.io content that can help you grow your career as a basketball coach. Here’s a great place to start.

PocketSuite has thousands of business owners who all started where you are right now. Our community is always happy to help you ramp up, grow your client base, and achieve your income goals, both within the PocketSuite app and as part of our exclusive Facebook Community Group. PocketSuite’s vision is for any professional to be able to work for themselves and make a great living. It starts here. It starts with you. It starts today. Let’s get started, download PocketSuite now! Feel free to reach out with any questions (we’d love to hear from you)! Text us @ (415) 841-2300.

The Colorado Baseball Coaches Association was formed in 2012 as a community to promote the sport of baseball in the state of Colorado. All levels of competition including recreation, competitive, league, tournaments, high school and college baseball are part of the association.

Resources for Colorado State Baseball Coaches Association 

Location: Colorado, USA

Website: https://www.colo-baseballca.org/

Email: twhittaker@baseballcoaches.org

The mission of the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association includes:

• Promoting excellence in the coaching of baseball.
• Advancing all aspects of the game of amateur baseball.
• Inspiring the game of baseball, especially within the mission of educational institutions.
• Disseminating educational baseball information to members and allied groups as necessary.
• Engaging in baseball-related activities as determined by the represented membership.
• Encouraging greater unity and fellowship among all members of this association.
• Honoring persons and organizations that have done an extraordinary job of promoting baseball in Alabama.
• Instilling within the coaches a deeper sense of responsibility in developing, maintaining and conducting the game of baseball.
• Fostering a program of baseball in Alabama that will encourage the widest possible participation with the highest possible standards.
• Founded in 1995, the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association is recognized by the IRS as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization.

How to Join Alabama State Baseball Coaches Association 

There are two ways to join:

1) Download the membership form provided in the website linked below and mail it in with your check
2) Join online under the membership form found on the website.

Resources for Alabama State Baseball Coaches Association 

Location: ALABCA, P.O. Box 3881Montgomery, Alabama 36109

Website: https://alabca.org/

Email: barrydean@alabca.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alabca

The Alaska School Activities Association (ASAA) is the regulating body for Alaska high school interscholastic activities, including support for baseball coaches.

ASAA is responsible for sanctioning 33 activities ranging from fall, winter and spring sports, to music, art, drama, debate, language and student government. ASAA sets competitive seasons, sponsors state competitions, regulates sports officials and provides eligibility criteria for students.

Resources for Alaska State Baseball Coaches Association

Location: 4048 Laurel St Anchorage, Alaska

Website: http://asaa.org/activities/baseball/baseball-coaches/

Email: office@asaa.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASAAORG

The goal of the Arizona Baseball Coaches Association is to build a respectful and competitive environment for baseball that refledcts positively on student athletes.

How to Join Arizona State Baseball Coaches Association

The membership year for the AzBCA runs from September 1 to August 31.

Your membership with the AzBCA includes dual membership with the National High School Baseball Coaches Association. The BCA is the organization that provides a $1,000,000 liablity insurance policy.

Jjoin the AzBCA through the website linked below.

Resources for Arizona State Baseball Coaches Association

Location: Arizona

Website: https://www.azbca.org/

Email: zhatsaz@gmail.com

The mission of the Arkansas Activities Association is to promote the value of participation in interscholastic activities in AAA member schools and to provide services to the schools in a fair and impartial manner. Support of the state’s baseball coaches falls under the association’s umbrella. 

Resources for Arkansas State Baseball Coaches Association

Location: 3920 RICHARDS ROAD NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR

Website: http://www.ahsaa.org/

Email: sfullerton@harding.edu

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/ahsbca/a

The California Baseball Coaches Association promotes high school baseball in Southern California. The North/South Showcase is the premier event for high school juniors. The CCCBCA is an affiliate organization of the California Community College Athletic Association.

Resources for California State Baseball Coaches Association

Location: California, USA

Website: https://www.calbca.com/

Email: cbcanorthsouth@aol.com

The Delaware Baseball Coaches Association is the advocacy group for the state’s high school baseball coaches. It recently ranked the top 38 players in Delaware high school baseball for the canceled 2020 season.

Resources for Delaware State Baseball Coaches Association

Location: 2 Winnwood Rd., Newark, DE 19711

Website: https://sites.google.com/site/delawarebca2/

Email: wpbbcoach@aol.com

The Florida Athletic Coaches association was founded by a group of head coaches in the member schools of the Big Ten Athletic Conference. The Big Ten spanned the state from Jacksonville to Tampa and Miami and encompassed the largest schools in the state.

Resources for Florida State Baseball Coaches Association

Location: Florida, USA

Website: https://www.floridacoaches.org/all-state3.html

Email: info@floridacoaches.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/FloridaAthleticCoachesAssociation/