Department of Exercise Science and Sport Studies

PHED 351 Coaching Practicum (0 credits)

This course is designed to provide the student with the experience of coaching a sport at a high school level for an entire season. Prerequisite: completion of at least 7 credits in the Coaching Certification curriculum, including PHED 209 (or by approval of the Coaching Certification Program Supervisor). Practicum must be planned with the Coaching Certification Program Supervisor. Fall and Spring.

General Objective

To provide the student with the opportunity of working with a high school or junior high interscholastic sports teams. (Either boys or girls)

Specific Objectives

To understand the roles of a high school coach. Some of these are:

Formation and handling of athletic budgets
Team policies
Public relations policies
Organization of team practices
Preparations for home and away contests
Dealing with individual and group conflicts
Enforcing rules of the league, the school and the team
Becoming familiar with conditioning, injury prevention and injury care

Completion of the following forms is required for the Practicum: (return to Janna LaFountaine.)

Overview
Supervisor Evaluation Form
Written Assignment

Policies

Elementary education majors are not allowed to do the coaching practicum at the same time as they do their student teaching. Past experience with the time commitments has led the Education Department and Physical Education Department to make a joint decision on this matter.
Secondary majors may elect to do their student teaching at the same time as their practicum as long as this is agreeable with your supervising teacher and your CSB advisor and with any stipulations that the Education Department has already set.
Students should contact the CSB/SJU Physical Education Department Chair during the semester prior to the practicum experience. If you have a preference for a certain school, coach, sport, etc., please let then know and they can assist in making the proper arrangements.
This practicum can be done in any male or female interscholastic sport. You will be serving in a capacity that you are qualified for at the time, and that the supervising coach feels best fits the situation.
To help ensure a successful experience, you must start practice when the team starts practice. This will help you and all the others involved in the sport become familiar with everything and everyone at the same time. (We have found that joining the team as a coach after the practice has started will make it difficult for you to be accepted by the team. This has led to some unfavorable practicums.)
The coaching practicum may be completed after graduation and then added to your transcript for a complete coaching certification.