New Online Master's Degree Develops Coaching Excellence
Published: April 13, 2021
In the world of competitive sports, coaches lead the way in shaping the performance of athletes. They also shape the work habits, attitudes, and character of their players. Greenville College is pleased to announce a new master's level program tailored especially for coaches.
Starting in fall 2012, Greenville College's Master of Arts in Education (MAE)-Coaching program will be available to coaches who want to effectively lift the performance of their athletes and develop winning organizations. The all-online format gives program participants flexibility in scheduling their studies and enables them to pursue a master's degree while maintaining a full coaching schedule. The program is geared toward coaches who work with athletes at the junior high, high school, or college levels. Coaches who work with athletes in not-for-profit, church, or community sports organizations will also find value in the program.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook identifies coaching as a very fast-growing profession in the next eight years with strong competition at the college and professional levels. Greenville College's MAE-Coaching degree gives applicants for these positions a competitive edge over rivals in a highly competitive career field.
Offering an advanced degree in coaching is a natural fit for Greenville College, given its rich history of melding sports excellence with faith. "As an alumnus, basketball player and coach at Greenville College," reflects John Hammond, general manager for the Milwaukee Bucks, "I know that Greenville can help coaches redefine success and develop a coaching philosophy that includes character, faith, and performance. Obviously, the role of a coach is critical in the lives of young people. The coach is a highly influential position in our society. It's time for coaches to receive formal training to gain a full perspective on how to succeed in this demanding profession."
One may not typically associate coaching with online learning. However, Greenville College's director of online learning and dean of the school of education, Dr. Vickie Cook, recognizes inherent benefits in the program's delivery. "We recognize that a coach's schedule can be more demanding than other classroom teachers, especially if a coach participates in summer athletic camps and clinics," said Cook. "We feel particularly capable of offering a rich online experience for coaches by combining our traditional strengths with an intentional focus on quality online learning."
Coursework for the 33-credit hour program is split between foundational education courses and specialized coaching courses. Each course spans eight weeks, allowing greater flexibility in scheduling than the usual semester-long course allows. Overall, the program emphasizes performance, philosophy and leadership. Program participants can expect to learn about sports performance techniques, effective scouting, and running efficient practice sessions. They also will learn how to use game management strategies, improve administrative planning and implementation, and develop a personal coaching philosophy. Perhaps unique to the Greenville College program, coaches will also learn how to promote character and faith development amongst their athletes while helping them to develop sport-specific skills and competitive abilities.
Program instructors will consist of Greenville College's coach-educators and regional coaches who excel in their fields. Students will also have ample opportunity to interact with experienced coaches in an online community. To complete assignments such as practice and game plan designs, they will tap their existing networks of coaching contacts. Students who are not actively coaching at present will receive help in establishing these contacts.
"I can't think of a better place to train coaches," says Jamie Young, assistant coach with the Boston Celtics and former graduate assistant coach at Greenville College. "The people at Greenville help you build faith, character and leadership for a long term foundation of success on and off the court. Not only will you mature as a coach, but you will also gain valuable tools to better serve your athletes."
For additional information about admission to Greenville College's MAE-Coaching program, application procedures, and costs go to www.greenville.edu/coaching or call Janice Chapman at 618-664-6751. For answers to questions about the program, call Athletic Director Doug Faulkner at 618-664-6620 or Dean of Professional Studies Dave Holden at 618-664-6750.
