Coaching and Social Media

We’ve all been told that social media is a very powerful tool and that we should all be using it, but many have no idea how or what it can do for coaches and their teams. Social media can be used externally, by marketing and creating awareness of your team and internally, with the use of mobile applications for distance coaching, video analysis, or to track stats.

Marketing is something everyone should be doing, even at a minimal level to create awareness of your team or athlete and to gain support from administration, parents and communities. When people are aware of you and know your story they will be inspired to get involved; this creates stronger fundraising, higher participation rates and may even get you better facilities.

People are connected now like never before and you can reach them easily and cheaply on their phone or computer using:

• Email – Sign parents and community members to your email list to keep them posted on upcoming events or changes 
• Twitter – Tweet action as it happens during a game (increases fan interaction) or announce a match 
• Facebook – Create a group for the team, parents, sponsors and community members to join, post personal interest stories 
• Website – Develop a strategy for fundraising, post jobs, and recruit players 

The use of technology has the ability to enhance the athlete experience and can be used as an important motivational tool. From an athlete perspective, consider how great it would be to have parents able to follow long distance games through Twitter or to have an athlete be able to share their personal success story on the team website. Having these media tools at your fingertips is the next step in coaching and is vital in ensuring your team gets the acknowledgment and support it deserves!

Check us out on Thursday to read the second part of this blog post on why you should embrace technology by exploring video streaming and web applications for coaches.

References from the SIRC Collection 

1. A New Era in Coach Development. World Of Soccer Newsletter. August 2011;(58):1-2. 
2. Bradley K. TO TWEET OR NOT TO TWEET?. Sporting News. September 12, 2011;235(21):20. 
3. Wedo J. Recruiting Generation Z: Tech savvy coaches have the edge. Coaching Women's Basketball. March 2010;:25.