FINDING, TRAINING… AND KEEPING GOOD COACHES THERESA SHERRY, CEO SHERRY SPORTS

Bio and Background  Playing: High School All American, 3x College All American, 2x NCAA Champion for Princeton University, Under 19 World Cup Champion with the U.S. Team  Coaching: Division I (Cal), Division III, youth and high school (beginner through elite), Convention speaker, Consultant and Technical Director for youth and high school programs, Clinics and College Talks, U.S. U19 Team Manager for World Cup 2015  Currently coaching clubs teams with players from 40 different high schools and 22 different youth programs in northern California  Try to be involved with all of the local youth programs for these players in some way- guest coaching, coaches’ trainings, etc.

Tenacity Trained Coaches  Coaches who have work with Tenacity10/BearLax programs to date in 2014: 150  Sherry Sports programs include Tenacity10 Camps and Summer Leagues (11), BearLax Club Teams (18), Tenacity Texas Club Teams (5), and the Western Winners Showcase  Our most consistent and high level coaches are BearLax Club team coaches, and all but TWO have other full time jobs!

Finding Coaches  No cutting corners- no easy way to do it, this is a year round job  SOURCES/CANDIDATES:  Parents- please respect this as an option – most loyal, most invested, but they MUST be willing to learn the GIRL’S GAME… and the game as it is currently played  Colleges- RECENT GRADS, and sometimes you can get current players to help at practices… also try players who are still in school but had to quit the team for some reason (DI programs AND College Club teams including Cal, Davis, Saint Mary’s, Stanford, Santa Clara, etc.)  High Schools- upperclassmen can make great U9 and U11 coaches  Businesses that employ recent college grads – a lot of former lacrosse players are coming to Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, and Sacramento

Finding Coaches Continued…  What attracts coaches?  The idea of “giving back”, feeling needed, helping to grow the sport  Philosophy in line with their values  Flexible Schedule for practices and games (ability to practice after work hours)  Admin support  Pay  Sportsmanship- former players HATE coaching for programs that are more concerned with winning than with playing the “right way”. It is possible to have success on the field but also to give players a good foundation as individuals for how the game should look at the highest levels.

Keeping Coaches…  Constant contact, clear information (practice and game schedules)  Consistency  Admin support  Invest in them- This is where your club resources should go – paying and TRAINING coaches  USL, Conventions, PCA, Clinics  Give them support for practice planning and curriculum development  Establish club lingo, “go to” drills, and consistency between age groups so that players hear similar things as they progress through the program  Provide opportunities for your coaches to WATCH the game at the highest level- in person (college games), on tv, give them film

COACHES CLINIC PRESENTED BY THE TENACITY PROJECT December 14 th, 10am-1pm Free Player Clinic from 1-3pm for coaches to stay and work with T10 Staff! REGISTER AT Contact with questions about the group  Current Scholarship athletes (financial aid for program tuition, travel, and equipment): 32  Scholarship amounts to be given in 2014 approximately $35,000  Funds raised in the last few years total close to $70,000