MCLA gym

Sport Coaching Minor

Student instructing another student

SPORT COACHING MINOR

The Sport Coaching Minor provides students the opportunity to get certified as a coach without any other trainings, in Massachusetts, New York and Vermont. This includes, but is not limited to coaching at the college, middle school and high school levels.

The mission of the program is to prepare students to become certified athletic coaches and to be ready for employment in their chosen setting. The curriculum will utilize theory, discussion, kinesthetic and practical application to prepare students in the coaching field.

Anna Despart coaching"The coaching program at MCLA strengthened my ambition to be a coach. The opportunity to be immersed in field experience was a necessary milestone to becoming the coach I am today. I am grateful for the depth of skills I learned through this program." 
Anna Despart '17, Head Varsity Tennis and Basketball Coach at Emma Willard.

Sport Coaching Minor Learning Objectives

  1. Students will demonstrate effective communication skills in the sport coaching setting.
  2. Students will demonstrate professional and ethical behaviors in the sport coaching setting.
  3. Students will demonstrate the ability to synthesize, critically appraise and apply knowledge attained in the sport coaching setting, in order to prevent injury and increase athletic skill and performance.

Curriculum

Required courses (12 credits):soccer

  • HLTH 201 Exercise Science - 3 credits
  • PHED 200 Exercise Injury Prevention and Care - 3 credits
  • PHED 300 Fundamentals of Coaching - 3 credits
  • PHED 540 Internship in Sport Coaching – 3 credits

Electives (choose 3; 9-10 credits):

  • BADM 240 – Issues in Event & Sports Management – 3 credits
  • BADM 346 – Athletics Administration – 3 credits
  • BADM 366 – Team Facilitation – 3 credits
  • BADM 440/440H – Advanced Leadership – 3 credits
  • BIOL 250 – Nutrition – 3 credits
  • BIOL 403 – Applied Nutrition – 3 credits
  • BIOL 440 – Exercise Physiology – 4 credits
  • BIOL 484 – Biomechanics – 3 credits
  • HLTH 210 – Human Growth & Development - 3 credits
  • PSYC 208/208H – Applied Developmental Psychology or PSYC 210 – Developmental Psychology – 3 credits
  • PSYC 376 – Sport Psychology – 3 credits
  • SOCI 316 – Sociology of Sport – 3 credits

Note: With the approval of the sport coaching advisor and department chair, other courses related to sports coaching may be taken as electives for the minor

Robert Jurtas with fellow coach

"The coaching minor at MCLA prepared me to handle the challenges of coaching right away. The lessons I learned in the classroom helped me create, and develop my philosophy. My coaching practicum allowed me to have a hands-on experience and put those classroom lessons to the test, it was an experience I will not forget."
Robert Jutras ’16, Physical Education Teacher at Mt. Greylock Regional School, Assistant Football and Baseball Coach at Drury High School

Internship Sites

  1. MCLA Athletics  
  2. Cap City Scrappers Basketball  
  3. The College of Saint Rose Athletics  
  4. Drury High School Athletics  
  5. Coaching kidsHoosac Valley High School Athletics  
  6. Mount Anthony Union High School Athletics  
  7. Mount Greylock Regional School Athletics  
  8. North Adams Steeplecats Baseball  
  9. Pittsfield Suns Baseball  
  10. Siena College Athletics 
  11. Taconic High School Athletics  
  12. University of Massachusetts Amherst Athletics 
  13. Williams College Athletics 

Natalie Caney“The Sport Coaching Minor is a holistic program that allows students to learn more about the X’s and O’s of coaching. Students will have the opportunity to learn about athletic administration, exercise physiology, bio mechanics, nutrition, sport psychology and much more. I was able to use my knowledge from the class room and directly apply it to real life scenarios while completing my coaching internship. The combination of class experience and on field experience made me feel prepared and confident to jump right into a coaching role and make an immediate impact as I do today in my current role. I encourage anyone who is interested in becoming a coach or administrator to take the coaching minor!”
— Natalie Caney ’17, Assistant Women’s Soccer Coach at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)