1.     We expect to be coached. Duh? We want to have someone who is going to make us better, not just sit back and ignore a crappy rep. The saying “every rep counts” comes to mind. Otherwise, we think you’ve given up on us or just don’t care.

2.     We expect to be coached at an age-appropriate level. Middle school athletes should be coached like they are just that—kids who are probably trying sports out for the first time and are probably enduring the physical awkwardness of the onset of puberty awkwardness. Conversely, varsity athletes have almost always played the sport before and want to be coached like they have done just that.

3.     We expect you to be fired up to be at practice/lifting/conditioning. How can we be fired up to be there if our most important leaders aren’t even excited about the day and the potential to get better as a team?

4.     We expect to improve under your guidance. There is always room for improvement in anything we do. We just don’t realize it if we have success a couple times. Help us to realize it and make us better.

5.     We expect to be pushed. Some of us may be the best athletes you’ve ever coached, whether naturally or from hard work. Don’t let that faze you. We can always be pushed to a higher level than where we’re at. We just need you to motivate us to get there. “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

6.     We expect you to be our biggest, positive critic and our biggest cheerleader. We won’t respond well to an expletive ridden tirade from a mouth that never has something to say when we perform well. We will respond well to you when you let us know we screwed up (it’s OK if you’re fired up about it) but are also willing to get excited when we successfully do something. Nothing is cooler than seeing a 50-year-old coach sprint (if it can be called that?) down the field after an incredible play by his player to celebrate with him in the end zone. It pumps the rest of the team up.

7.     We expect to be able to talk to you about any problems or miscommunications on the playing field. If we’re confused after we screw up, we might try and ask you about it. This isn’t a sign of disrespect but an effort to try and avoid further critiques (or expletive ridden tirades if you’re that coach from number six). Some of us may not shut up because we think we’re right. The sensible rest of us apologize for that minority.

8.     We expect you to know what you’re talking about. We can detect crap better than you think and it destroys your credibility behind your back. An honest “I don’t know, but I will do some research and get back to you” is always better than five minutes of BS explanations.

9.     We expect you to look like you’ve at least played the sport you’re coaching us in or look like you’ve been in a weight room before. You wouldn’t take diet advice from an obese person, would you? Being able to speak from experience makes you a much better coach and lets us know you’ve been in our shoes before, so we know it can be done.

10.  We expect respect just as you expect it. Tying into number six, you will be much more respected if we know that you’re going to treat us like we’re adults. We will feel obligated to treat you with the same respect. It’s a win-win situation.

11.  We expect you to take us to places that we as a team couldn’t get to without you. We want to be successful in some way. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be out here. How you define success is on a team-by-team basis. One team’s goal may be to win their first game in school history and another’s may be to make it to the Rose Bowl.

12.  We want to have a relationship outside of the playing field/weight room. Knowing coaches on a personal level will reap nothing but positive benefits on the field/in the training room. We want to know that you’re a human being with hobbies and interests, not just a coach who lives and breathes a sport.