Best Practices Online Coaching

BEST PRACTICES FOR ONLINE COACHING

Prior to the tournament

1.      **Make sure you and your students familiarize yourself with the tournament software. Get accounts set up ahead of time.

2.     ** Be sure your online registration has your current cell phone number.

3.    **  Set up a way to keep in contact with your students. There are many apps available that don’t require everyone to share their cell phone numbers, which is problematic with some schools.

4.      **Be sure you know how to access the tournament online video conferencing if it is Zoom, NSDA Campus, Classroom.cloud or whatever they are using.

5.     ** Check the time-zone. If you are not in the same time zone as the tournament host be sure you adjust any times to be consistent with the time zone of the host.

6.      **Make sure you have a reliable internet connection. Position yourself near your router or connect with an ethernet cable.

7.     ** Discuss protocols with your team regarding pre-round coaching, team meetings during the tournament, check in before the tournament etc.

During the tournament

1.      **You need to be available at all times your students are competing. Some tournaments require that you be online as long as your students are competing.

2.      **Make sure you are aware of your judging obligations. (See also the Best Practices for Judges).

3.    ** If you are not judging, hang out in the virtual coaches lounge, if there is one, ask questions talk to other coaches and get tips and tricks from them.

4.      **Be sure you have contact information for tournament personnel.

5.      **Know what happens if the tournament video conference software crashes or has a glitch. Make a plan with your students as to what to do.

6.      **Keep the tournament moving by assuring your students are where they need to be at all times. Be willing and able to contact them if they somehow get logged off or virtually “disappear”.

7.     ** Always stay on mute unless you are talking.

IF YOU ENCOUNTER ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR