What is a head coach and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

Head coaches have a lot of responsibility on their plates. From making sure their athletes are in shape to scouting the other teams and watching video from last night's game. During the offseason, coaches have a pretty lax schedule. But when it's season, expect to have some crazy hours.

If you're expecting to make a paycheck, head coaches work more than the average 40 hours a week. From evenings, weekends and even holidays, it can be assumed that during the season you not only coach that sport, but you eat, sleep and breathe that sport. You know what they say. Ball is life.

ScoreHead CoachUS Average
Salary
3.4

Avg. Salary $44,062

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
8.0

Growth Rate 20%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.22%

Asian 5.49%

Black or African American 9.03%

Hispanic or Latino 13.44%

Unknown 5.77%

White 66.05%

Gender

female 33.69%

male 66.31%

Age - 34
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 34
Stress Level
8.0

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.4

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
7.3

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Head Coach career paths

Key steps to become a head coach

  1. Explore head coach education requirements

    Most common head coach degrees

    Bachelor's

    73.1 %

    Master's

    11.0 %

    Associate

    8.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific head coach skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    CPR31.11%
    NCAA7.49%
    Athletic Program4.90%
    Player Development4.43%
    Softball4.26%
  3. Complete relevant head coach training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New head coaches learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a head coach based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real head coach resumes.
  4. Research head coach duties and responsibilities

    • Coach and lead a group of 50 kids between 10 and 12 years old.
    • Manage JV squad during practice and games, preparing them to move to the varsity level.
    • Lead a professional hockey player camp during the summer consisting of NHL, AHL, NCAA hockey players.
    • Teach young student-athletes to relentlessly pursue their goals and achieve academic success while establishing an exemplary foundation of leadership.
  5. Prepare your head coach resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your head coach resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a head coach resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Head Coach Resume templates

    Build a professional Head Coach resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Head Coach resume.
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  6. Apply for head coach jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a head coach job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Head Coach Job

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Average head coach salary

The average Head Coach salary in the United States is $44,062 per year or $21 per hour. Head coach salaries range between $30,000 and $63,000 per year.

Average Head Coach Salary
$44,062 Yearly
$21.18 hourly

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How do head coaches rate their job?

3/5

Based On 1 Ratings

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Head Coach reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2022
Pros

Teaching the swing from the ground up. Doing video analysis. The satisfaction I get when it clicks for the hitter.

Cons

People who think hitting is easy, see ball hit ball. Parents who want instant gratification.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020
Pros

I am extremely happy to correct, guide and to motivate the younger generation always.

Cons

Punishing children for negligible reasons


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A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2020
Pros

The best thing is Developing and making them great players and giving confidence and motivation.

Cons

I hate having bad attitude on the field and off the field.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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