Travel baseball coaches are under constant scrutiny, and they should be. Travel baseball, along with most other youth sports, has become big business requiring significant financial investments from players' and their families. In addition to coaching and instructing baseball, head coaches are typically responsible for all fiscal matters pertaining to a team's operation. Let's take a moment to consider the success and failures of businesses in a free market society. Regardless of the product sold or service provided, a poorly run business generally will flounder while a well-run business will prosper. Like wise, regardless of player personnel and talent, a poorly managed team will flounder or worse, fail, while a well-managed team will prosper. There are easily 25,000 travel baseball teams across the United States and choosing the right one for your son can be a difficult task. Your primary focus in this process should be on the head coach and it is important to assess him in his capacity as both teacher of the game and manager of the business side. A head coach will create and balance a budget, direct the team finances, collect on accounts receivable and deal with staff and player personnel. He will set practice and game schedules, provide instruction, and be a game strategist. WOW! Your head must spin with everything to consider. Following are some tips that focus on how to assess a head coach as a teacher and strategist of the game.
