How to Train Your Assistant Coaches 10x Faster
Dec 19, 2024
Last week I had a chance to do a recruiting/productivity workshop to about 70 JUCO coaches, AD’s and Commissioners right outside of San Francisco (I love San Francisco!)
A head coach asked me an amazing question in private during a break:
“I get new assistant coaches every 2 years. It seems easier to just do things myself because by the time they start to get into a good rhythm, they leave and I have to bring in a new one. How can I fast track new hires to get things off my plate, maintain the quality, eliminate mistakes and the need for micromanaging, and without needing to get asked 1000 questions all the time?”
I thought this was a great thing to ask because the faster you get a new hire up to speed, the sooner they can start producing value in your program.
I also loved this question because it highlights a common struggle.
If you don’t have a great system in place, it’s easy to fall into the trap of doing everything yourself.
You know you are guilty of not having a good system if these things are happening to you:
- You’re constantly repeating yourself or redoing tasks because they aren’t done right the first time.
- Administrative, recruiting, or coaching duties fall behind or aren’t done to your standards.
- You take on too much because it feels easier than teaching someone new.
- Every time someone leaves, you’re starting over from scratch instead of having a system to plug them into.
This doesn’t just waste time. It can cost you relationships, create an uncomfortable environment to work in, and can prevent you from making the progress you need to get ahead.
You don’t have to keep doing it this way.
I believe the fastest way to train new hires is to put a lot more effort into your onboarding—and instead of thinking about it as “onboarding,” think of it as acceleration.
The traditional approach to onboarding focuses on easing new hires into their responsibilities over time. While this might feel less stressful initially, it often results in delayed productivity, confusion, and inefficiency.
Instead, adopting an acceleration mindset ensures that your assistant coaches are:
- Fully operational within the first 90 days.
- Aligned with your program’s goals and culture.
- Confident in handling key responsibilities independently.
To accelerate your onboarding process, you need a Do-First Playbook.
This is a systematized guide that focuses on the top-priority tasks and responsibilities your assistant needs to master in their first 30 days. It’s not about giving them a 100-page manual; it’s about identifying the key actions and routines that will make the biggest immediate impact.
Here’s how you start:
- Identify the “High-Value Tasks”
Ask yourself: If they could only master 2-3 things right now that would free up my time and increase their confidence, what would those be? Examples might include managing practice logistics, sending recruiting emails, or organizing team travel. - Break It Into Clear Steps
For each task, provide a simple, step-by-step process they can follow. Bonus points if you include video tutorials, checklists, or templates to make it foolproof. - Shadow, Do, Feedback
Have them shadow you once, try it themselves, and then review what they did. This cycle eliminates mistakes faster and builds competence in record time.
By focusing on the most important work upfront, you’ll accelerate their learning curve and reduce the number of questions and errors down the road. A Do-First Playbook doesn’t just train your assistant—it makes your life easier by turning “onboarding” into onboarding for results.
If you’re ready to get even more strategies like this, keep an eye out in your email tomorrow for the official launch of my new program called the Assistant Coach Accelerator. This program dives deep into creating systems that get your assistants fully operational faster than you ever thought possible—no micromanaging required. For the week, I am giving you 80% off the program. More coming tomorrow.
To your success,
Mandy Green
