The 4 Things All High School Sports Coaches Are Looking For

Any quality coach, in any sport can tell you that there is more than just natural talent that they are looking for when viewing student-athletes to add to their varsity and elite High School sports teams. Coaches and trainers are constantly asked what young student-athletes can do to make their high school sports team. Here are the 4 things every good coach is looking for in their athletes.  

1. Education  

It's obvious to say all coaches rather have student-athletes with good grade because of the obvious eligibility reasons but there are so many more factors that affect the quality of play that come with their performance at school. First off, how students interact with their teachers is directly correlated to the way they will treat their coaches. Do they ask questions when they don't understand and communicate appropriately when they do? Are they willing to do extra work to make sure they are doing the best they can in class? Do they treat the teacher respectfully and see them as an authority figure? If the student-athlete can do those things in class they will definitely be doing them on the field or court. It is no secret that coaches communicate with teachers in order to understand their athletes better.  

2. Being a Great Teammate  

There can only be one leading scorer. There are so many other things that go into being an integral part of a high school sports team. Great teammates are always the one doing the extra work, making the hustle plays, helping their teammates after practice and most importantly encouraging their teammates and coaches. Hard working, positive student-athletes are every coaches dream. They are constantly improving their game, others attitudes and raising the spirit of the whole team. This is where you find your true leaders.

3. Coachability

We hear this term a lot in high school sports because it can make or break your value as an athlete. Being coachable doesn't mean doing everything right the first time. A coachable athlete is the one who doesn't get it right away and then can easily take instruction to fix it. Do you understand what the coach is saying to you? Are you doing the little things they ask? Being able to use the correction to improve is invaluable.  

4. The Extra Work

What is more important than how the student-athlete is performing in tryouts is how are they going to help me build a future for our team? Coming in early, staying late, asking for help. The breaks and the off season are the most crucial time that a student-athlete can improve. Going to camps and working with trainers not only greatly increase your athletic ability but just knowing a student-athletes are putting in that extra work shows a devotion most other athletes don't have. If I live in San Diego using a part of my break from school in December to go to World Record Camps is a perfect example.