As a coach and trainer, I spent years looking for ways to educate more athletes, more coaches and more parents. As my business grew, so did my reputation for being a softball coach and youth fitness specialist. Proof came in the results: athletes running faster and quicker and ultimately feeling stronger and confident.

It wasn’t long before I knew that I had to take my game to the next level and start educating the coaches of my athletes. After all, their athletes were only with me one or two times per week, but were with their coaches for 3-5 times per week. Sport coaches spend hours with their athletes, so why not join forces?

I found that my annual coaches’ clinic became a great forum to do this. Not only was it my direct link to hundreds of athletes (for every one coach there are 10-20 athletes connected to them) but it was also a way to bridge the gap between coaches and trainers.

We now work together for one common purpose: to give the most and the best for the athletes that walk into our programs.

Types of Speed Clinics

In this post, I want to talk about the two different kinds of speed clinics that you can host as well as when, where and how to go about getting your first coaches’ clinic underway. Essentially, I want to give you my coaches’ clinic template.

There are many different kinds of clinics beyond these, but this is what I will touch on today.

1. Speed & Agility Clinic
2. Speed & Skills (Combination Clinic)

Personally, #2 has always been my choice, but #1 is effective as well. If you do know skills of a particular sport, you can usually play to that strength and draw more coaches. Here are some steps when setting up your own coaches’ clinic:

Determine What Kind of Clinic You Will Have

What Will You Cover in Your Clinic?

– Speed? Skills? Drills?
– Sport Specific? General?
– Olympic Lifting? Lifting Mechanics, etc?

Figure out where your strengths and knowledge are, and play to those. If you are an excellent baseball coach and know how to teach skills and speed, build your clinic around those two aspects. Coaches love sport specificity.

Naming Your Coaches’ Clinic

When marketing your clinic, you want to be able to relate the name of your clinic to your market. When naming your own coaches’ clinic, think simple. Here are some suggestions:

1. Game Speed Coaches’ Clinic
2. [Insert Sport] Coaches’ Clinic
3. Speed & Agility Coaches’ Clinic
4. Making Athletes Faster Coaches’ Clinic
5. Strength, Power and Quicker [Insert Sport] Coaches’ Clinic

Try to include a few things that play on the “needs” of your target market. For example, if you have softball athletes – “Increasing your athletes’ hitting power” plays to an aspect of the sport that all coaches want to coach to. Ask yourself, what does your target market want?

Picking a Date/Time for Your Coaches’ Clinic

When setting the specifics of your coaches’ clinic, remember that these are adults, not kids.

Many meetings for them occur between 7pm-9pm M-Th, so focus on those times. Providing a two or three week-long clinic is also valuable and can allow you to cover topics each session.

Be sure that you pick a day of the week that is not a holiday. Plan for at least two months of marketing for this clinic.

Duration of Your Coaches’ Clinic

2 hours. Again, if you have more content to cover, do it over a couple weeks, rather than a 4 hour clinic.

Rate of Your Coaches’ Clinic

Generally $10-$20 per hour for clinics is a good rate.

Example Details for Flyer/Email

So, you have decided on all of these things, here is an example of what it would look like:

Sport Specific Flyer/Email

Speed Only Flyer/Email

Marketing Your Own Coaches’ Clinic

Now that you have the details of your clinic, it is time to start marketing your clinic. There are a number of ways to market your own coaches’ clinic:

Work With Multiple Local Recreation Teams

In this situation, if you connect with the president or director of the organization, you can offer organizational rates. In many cases, different leagues promote learning and education, so if that director feels that their coaches can benefit from your clinic, they may just do the marketing for you.

If you have a parent of an athlete that plays in an organization, this is one of the best ways to leverage your efforts.

Email Your List

Allow all customers 14+ to join, this includes parents. Many parents just want education on this, so do not limit your clinics to coaches only. Open the door to athletes, parents, and coaches. Again, this helps bridge the gap.

Create a Press Release

Reach out to your local media channels, including local newspapers, television stations, and any other outlets that can possibly grab this story and run with it.

Offer Group & Early Bird Discounts

The great thing about this is that there are a number of ways to offer discounts. If a league brings multiple coaches, they can get a discount. Early bird discounts are possible, too. This will help you determine your baseline, as well.

Be creative here. Give incentives (especially for your first clinic). Once you get them in the door, then you can work your magic.

Structuring Your Coaches’ Clinic

They walked through your door.

Whatever way it happened, you now have coaches sitting in front of you, waiting and willing to learn.

What do you teach them?

Well, that is up to you, but this is the template that I suggest.

Remember to keep it interactive. Get them up and get them moving. Coaches need to “feel it” to “get it,” too.

Template 1: Speed-Focused

1. Introduction and Overview of Clinic and Your Business (10 Minutes)

2. Prepare to Move by Moving to Prepare (10-20 Minutes)

• Perform and teach a thorough team warm-up (let coaches participate).
• Allow for Q & A during this time.

3. Foundations of Speed (10 Minutes)

• Discuss the importance of mobility, range of motion, etc.

4. Mechanics of Speed (10 Minutes)

• Break the mechanics of speed down in this section. Take them through drills, as if you are first teaching your athletes about the mechanics.
• Have attendees do it/feel it.

5. Speed Drills (Pick your #) (60 Minutes of Content)

• Name it.
• Demonstrate it.
• Break it down and teach it.
• Have attendees perform it.
• Show 1 or 2 variations.
• Indicate application to different sports (or specific sport that you are doing the clinic for).

Repeat this process for as many speed drills that you would like to cover.

6. Q&A (10 Minutes)

Template 2: Sport/Skills-Focused

1. Introduction and Overview of Your Business (5 Minutes)

2. Prepare to Move by Moving to Prepare (10-20 Minutes)

• Perform and teach a thorough team warm-up (let coaches participate).
• Allow for Q & A during this time.

3. Teaching Speed (10 Minutes)

• Briefly discuss the mechanical breakdown of speed (have attendees do it/feel it). This is foundational to any sport, so allowing your coaches to learn HOW to teach it (focus on cue words and form) is key.

4. Drills & Skills (Pick your #) (75-90 Minutes of Content)

• Name it.
• Demonstrate it.
• Break it down and teach it.
• Have attendees perform it.
• Show 1 or 2 variations.
• Indicate application to different sports (or specific sport that you are doing the clinic for).

Repeat this process for as many speed drills that you would like to cover. Allow for Q&A during this time.

5. Q&A (10 Minutes)

These templates can work with almost any coaches’ clinic. Be sure to fill in the blanks with activities, skills and drills that are unique to your facility and business. Give the coaches and parents a “taste of your culture” and I would highly recommend giving them an offer at the end.

In our businesses, it is important to get kids through the door. Offering a team training session, a discount and/or something specific to that clinic will allow you to successfully get more athletes through the doors.

Tips/Tricks

• Be sure to collect all contact information for your list.
• Extend a “Thank You for Attending” email after your first clinic.
• Plan an annual clinic to add consistency and enable time for growth (I have little league directors that expect coaches’ clinics annually).
• Have your “plan”.
• Have opportunities for their athletes (make the offer at the clinic).
• Find what works for you in terms of duration: one day or multi-day clinics are effective.
• Elicit the help of your young athletes to help demonstrate in real-time.
• Bring your “A” game to every clinic.

Good luck,
Julie Hatfield

About the Author: Julie Hatfield

Julie is the Executive Director of the International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA). She grew up as an athlete and played collegiate softball at Juniata College. She currently owns and operates her own youth fitness business pouring into young athletes. Her areas of expertise are youth sport performance, youth fitness business and softball training/instruction. Julie grew up on a dairy farm and can challenge the best of the best in a cow-milking contest. 😉

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