Transition to Remote Coaching | As An NAIA Strength Coach

Open New Doors by Coaching Remote

For coaches, the squat rack is sacred. Coaches plan movements around how they can do their basic foundational movements in the rack. But the pandemic revealed just how useful it is to have a home gym, and many coaches must now adapt to how they train their athletes for success in their sport.

For many athletes, a rack, barbell, dumbbells, and other luxuries college programs have in the weight room are not an option.

Adapting a program with an emphasis on squat, bench, clean, and deadlifts is a challenge that all strength and conditioning coaches face. Finding ways to keep athletes engaged with maintaining strength levels is essential. Whether the institution has the financial means to provide training sessions to their athletes or if the staff sends an outdated Word document to each team providing workouts, the athletes must continue to train.

Coaches need to keep their primary movements at the center of the program, but simply adapt what modalities they use.

Communication is Key

With a focus on athletic development, keeping a connection to coaches and teammates may be more critical. Keeping athletes engaged with each other, and their coaches, will maintain cohesion between everyone — maintaining a sense of team camaraderie is a must. Text, GroupMe, FaceTime, Skype, and Zoom are a few examples of ways to say in touch and interact with athletes. Any form of communication can help keep the athlete feel as if they are still part of the team and provide them with a support system in a new way.

Keeping athletes engaged socially is essential, but doing so can be challenging. After ensuring that the athletes are still engaging with teammates and coaches, the next priority is to make sure that athletes are training correctly. Creating a training environment for athletes is a difficult task. There are a variety of ways to help student-athletes while training from home.