How should players address their coach??

[Cannonball]

I mostly go by Coach B. Sometimes Coach Butler. That's fine either way. No way is it a first name or even just a last name.

A few years ago, I had a talk with a young coach. He called me by my first name and that was fine. We were adults. However, I called him Coach xxxxx. He wanted to know why I called him Coach xxxx. I told him that I view the title of coach with deep respect. So, in calling him Coach xxxx, I was showing a lot of respect. I then tried to talk to him about the fraternity of coaching. What we do for our players is much more than just the game. I hope all of you respect the title of "Coach." It isn't something we should take lightly.

 

[sofstballmom356]

Our daughter has always called her coaches "Coach First Name" or "Coach Last Name" from the time she played 8 u until now as an 18U and High School softball player. I think it's a matter of respect.

The coaches and players are NOT equals. Same as addressing friends of parents - it's "Hello, Mr. or Mrs. Smith,"
and not "Hello, Tom and Karen!" Heck, I still call friends of MY parents Mr. or Mrs. Smith!!!

I have heard girls on our daughter's various teams call the coach by his first name and I felt it was inappropriate and not respectful. The only exception would be if the coach was also "Dad." Then, by all means, call him "Dad."

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Maybe it is different in various places throughout the country. In small town IL., we only called the rec and ASA coach by his/her first name, even 45 years ago. Of course, those were people that we had known for generations. Coach was reserved for the old HS football coach or baseball coach, not for the teacher that was recruited to coach softball and really didn't want to be there. And never used for a female.

I tell the girls and boys to call me Amy, from the very beginning. If they need my attention, "AMY!" is going to get it.

Do more men want to be called coach, than women?

 

[02Crush]

I have never asked to be called coach T or Coach Thomas but it has developed over the past five years and I like it. I often go to have lunch with my Daughter at school and will have current or former players calling me as Coach Thomas then run up and give me a hug or wave to me and smile. It means a lot b/c at the end of the day I want to be a positive adult, male role model to these girls. The world need more of that and less of what we see on TV sometimes. Whether we win or lose will not matter in 20 years but having a positive influence on their life will. I believe Respect is earned. Even with young players and especially with adults. If you do the things to show you care rather than showing the win-loss record in your eyes every time you speak with a player or parent you will be amazed at what happens.

 

[Arm and Hammer]

(Coach-First Name) for me. I agree with many here that it is a term of respect and it defines roles and creates healthy boundaries. When I first started coaching youth sports, I never anticipated this dynamic. But years later I am often referred to as Coach, especially by former and current players and sometimes even their parents. Many of these girls will follow that greeting up with a big hug and an even bigger smile. It absolutely warms my heart every time.

 

[softballphreak]

Coach Bob or Coach Linda sounds more appropriate for younger kids to me. At our school in the past the players have to precede the coach's name with a Mr. or Ms. or Coach. I like that.

"Coach" can also be used for other good purposes. For example, calling someone "coach" when you don't know their name is complimentary IMO and sometimes you can see the compliment on their faces. It might also be useful when addressing an unruly fan. I saw a head baseball coach address a noisy fan that way and it had a calming effect on the fan.

I used it on a player today when she was telling us what she wasn't going to do during conditioning. It sent the desired message.

 

[marriard]

From running the local rec league, coaching various teams, organizing and coaching travel and a variety of other things I thought my name had been officially changed to "Coach Paul". Even players I have not directly coached call me it now.

 

[3'sDad]

Coach + first name is fine. I address allof DD's HS coaches as "Coach + first or last name whichever they prefer" and I'm old enough to be their much older brother.

 

[Coach Cally]

I work with very young children and have found that Coach or Coach <First name> works best. With the high school girls I coach I make sure they use coach because I'm not that much older then them. It makes a clear boundary and is respectful.

 

[amanda_cake]

I started coaching little kids when I was fourteen, so it was always Coach Amanda, not Coach *lastname*. Despite studying to be a teacher, I still find myself too young to be called by my last name... guess those days will come soon enough though!

Here at school, we've always called coaches by their last name. In rec leagues, the coaches usually went by their first names.