Coaching Minor

If you want to work with athletes in either a full-time or part-time capacity, the Coaching Minor will be a good choice to supplement your education. While it is is ideal for anyone interested in coaching organized sports at all levels of competition, the knowledge and skills learned could be applied in other sport settings as well.

All Coaching Minors complete core coursework in coaching practices, movement analysis, sport psychology, injury prevention, and exercise physiology. Additionally, students can pick an elective from different areas, including disability studies, sport facility administration, nutrition, power training, communication, and more. Overall, the minor prepares you on the mechanical, physiological, and psychological aspects of effective sport coaching.

Coaching Minor courses emphasize hands-on learning and the application of knowledge to real-world situations. Many class periods will be spent in the Metabolic Analysis Lab, Movement Science Lab, or gym, where you’ll learn how to conduct skill assessments, fitness testing, and lead others. These practical experiences will prepare you to work with athletes of all ages within a framework of safe and ethical coaching.

Once you finish the core coursework for the minor, interested students can also complete a coaching internship. The Coaching Minor director will help place you with a local high school or university coach, where you will act as an assistant coach and receive mentorship and feedback on your coaching practices.

This minor is ideal for anyone interested in coaching for a school district or college. It is also helpful for anyone who intends to work within a recreational or leisure sport environment involving athletics. Specific settings where a Coaching Minor is useful include:

• Youth Sport
• High School Sport
• Collegiate Sport
• Community Leagues
• Sport Clubs
• Sport Camps

Additionally, the Coaching Minor is a useful supplement for other sport-related professions, including:

• Athletic Administration
• Sport Management
• Strength & Conditioning
• Sport Psychology
• Sports Journalism
• Sports Marketing

Classes at Ship are small, allowing you to connect with faculty. This personalized attention ensures you get the most out of the program. The curriculum incorporates extensive applied instruction. There is also an internship experience opportunity in which students can be paired with a high school or university coach.