Being a Good Coach Is Only Part of the Job

Ever finished a busy coaching week, looked back at the hours you worked, and wondered whether the role was actually sustainable?

You coached before work, travelled across the county for an evening session, answered athlete DM’s, adjusted programmes, and stayed behind for a conversation with the manager. The coaching might have been good, but the hours quickly added up.

As we all know most coach education/CPD teaches us how to plan, programme, and deliver sessions. Very little prepares you for setting prices, writing contracts, chasing invoices, or deciding where your coaching role actually begins and ends.

This is especially true if you are self-employed or freelancing, which is the majority of us!

You can deliver brilliant sessions and still undercharge for your time. You can build strong relationships and still agree to hours of unpaid work. You can be highly qualified and still struggle to explain the value of what you provide to a club or organisation.

The difficult part is that many coaches feel uncomfortable talking about money or setting boundaries. We worry that charging properly makes us look greedy, or that saying no means we are less committed. So we keep adding extras, replying at all hours, and hoping that good work will eventually lead to a better arrangement.

But sustainable coaching is not just about coaching less. It is about creating a role that allows you to keep coaching for longer.

Clear agreements protect both sides. Fair pricing gives you the chance to invest in your own development. Boundaries help you arrive at sessions with more energy instead of constantly feeling pulled in ten directions.

So it might be worth asking yourself: are you building a sustainable coaching career, or are you simply coaching until you burn out?

Food for thought

Michael