What is a head coach, exactly? If you’ve coached traditional sports, you’ll find that coaching esports is very similar, apart from some differences in relative game knowledge and practice structures.
If you haven’t been a coach before, there are a couple of things that a head coach must do. Let’s go over the three main faces, or roles, that a head coach will have to put on throughout their tenure.
The head coach doesn’t have to be responsible for the strategic elements of the team, nor does the head coach have to be the most knowledgeable about the game. In fact, in esports, it’s very likely that the players will be much more knowledgeable than the coach, and that’s okay! What a good head coach must be, though, is someone who knows how to run the operation well.
This means that, as a facilitator, a head coach should do the following things:
Get all of the players and staff involved and motivated.
Create a positive team atmosphere and maintain team chemistry.
Keep the team organized and on-track.
A good coach should create a gaming culture different from what players might have in their free time. It’s easier for players to improve and focus in a professional environment, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the team has to be serious all the time.
The head coach shouldn’t just be the lead authority figure in the team’s structure, they should also be the most supportive teammate in the group. It can be hard for students/players to stay motivated throughout a season, and so it falls on the coach to help inspire their players.
When a coach treats their players as peers and equals, it’s easier for players to want to play for that coach. This isn’t always the case, as some players prefer a more rigid team structure with more discipline. Regardless of how tight or loose a coach runs their team, though, coaches need to take steps to make it clear to the players that the coach is as much a part of the team as the players and not more.
Here are some ways a head coach can be a great teammate:
Encourage students when they do well and offer constructive criticism and support when they struggle.
Cultivate a fun and positive culture where players want to put in their best effort.
Be honest and open; when in doubt, be transparent.
With passionate athletes giving their all to a team, there are bound to be emotional moments between players. Disagreements, conflicts, and arguments are things that happen on esports teams, just like on any traditional sport team. Disagreements and conflicts aren’t inherently bad; on the contrary, they can be vital in sparking change and growth. Arguments, though, are things you have to be careful to avoid.
On the one hand, you can’t allow players to go at each other in a non-constructive manner. Teams need to have continuity and growth, which can be severely damaged by in-fighting. On the other hand, you can’t completely shut your players down and yell over them. This can make your more timid players afraid to speak out in the future and create other similar kinds of problems in the team culture.
A good coach knows when to let players express themselves and when to step in when things stop being constructive. Encouraging players to talk about things they like and dislike about the team when things start to stagnate can often yield successful results.
Players also appreciate feedback from each other, especially when everyone knows that things are said out of a desire to see improvement and not a personal attack. A good coach will make sure that their players aren’t attacking each other verbally, and that players don’t take legitimate feedback as personal attacks.
If you can inspire your players to give each other honest feedback, you’ll be giving them one of the single most important lessons esports can teach them, which will impact students for the rest of their lives.
Lead a group discussion about what the team thinks are important aspects and roles for a Head Coach to embody.
What aspects of a Head Coach are important to you? What are some necessary duties?
This will allow you to gather information about your team and understand what soft skills are important to each individual.