Sports coaches train amateurs to compete in a sport – either individually or as a team. This can be invigorating as well as frustrating for the men and women on the sidelines. Many coaches do not have the luxury of recruiting the best talent; they work with the players enrolled at their school. At its most basic, coaching is teaching, except in an athletic venue instead of a classroom. As fans of football cult hit "Friday Night Lights" will attest, coaches can also be pillars of the community and builders of character: "Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose."

Building a successful team can be rewarding, but for every winner, there is at least one loser. A coach with a poor win-loss record must remember that while he or she remains as a fixture of the athletic program, the players, the true products of his or her labors, continue to move on. Success in this profession is not always measured by the number of wins tallied or defeats suffered.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 9.2% employment growth for sports coaches between 2022 and 2032. In that period, an estimated 25,300 jobs should open up.

Many high schools require coaches to be trained in CPR and first aid, though there are no nationwide educational requirements for this position. Most schools hire one of their current teachers part time to coach a sport, whether it’s track and field, baseball or swimming. Coaches who are not already teachers may need state certification. Those who wish to coach a college or professional team may need a bachelor’s degree in a field such as kinesiology, nutrition and fitness, physical education or sports medicine. Many coaches also have experience playing their sport.