Improve Your Shooting Skills
By now your returning athletes have the basics mastered and are looking to be pushed to the next level, as the head coach you will need to expand on your skill set.
Coaches will be the first group that need to increase their skill set, here are few options for improving your teaching skills:
- Attend various classes throughout the off season that you believe will help you increase your knowledge of shooting sports.
- Watch and record other teams shoot, you can gain a lot by watching how other teams perform.
- Practice with the other coaches critiquing each other, you may start to see something another coach has seen all along.
- Determine what level you prefer to coach at, generally most coaches have a preference and will coach more effectively if they are comfortable in their teachings.
- Coach the same squads and same athletes as much as possible, over time coaches and athletes build a bond and that confidence will produce huge gains on and off the field.
- Take the time to shoot more rounds, the best way to teach is by experience and even the best shooters have something to gain by throwing lead down range.
- Build that relationship with parents, the novelty of the sport has worn off by now and you want those parents supporting your teachings and encouraging practice.
- By this point many of your athletes have put hundreds of rounds down range and they are hungry for the next bit of instruction, here are few things you can suggest to your athletes that may improve their skills as a shooter:
- Practice, practice, practice, there is no amount of instruction that can improve an athlete’s skills quicker than continuous practice.
- Have intermediate shooters shoot with varsity shooters, this will help your team transition to higher scores as a team.
- Consider equipment upgrades, shotguns with adjustable combs, ribs, and butt plates will allow for better correction and increased hits.
- Have your athletes shoot at multiple ranges, each range has its own unique background, changing up the venue keeps your athletes comfortable in any situation.
- Instructional videos, there are many free training videos online that can offer helpful techniques to improve their scores.
- Continue to challenge yourself and your athletes, teams that become complacent will settle with average results.
- Expanding your skills will provide long term benefits and keep everyone shooting at their best.
