So, you’ve been offered that Head Football Coaching job, now what?  Should you take it? Not so quick my friend! TAKE YOUR TIME!  Go through this list of questions!

(This list may not be republished or reused without the consent of Coach Fore)

1                    Who was the last head coach?

2                    Why is the last head coach gone?

3                    How did he do last year?  Last 3 years?  Last 5 years?

4                    What areas did former head coach succeed in?

5                    What areas did former head coach struggle with?

6                    What is the salary?

7                    What are the benefits?

8                    What kind of retirement benefits are there?

9                    Does your district give tenure to teachers/coaches?  If so, how does that work?

10                Who will be my immediate supervisor?

11                How will I be evaluated as a coach?

12                Who is responsible for hiring and firing my staff?

13                Is there a stipend for coaching?  If so, how much is it?

14                Where do most of your faculty/staff live?

15                What are his assistants doing?  Staying or going?

16                How many assistants are on campus with jobs as faculty/staff?

17                Can you remove any of them if you deem it necessary?

18                Can you hire any coaches for faculty/staff jobs on campus?

19                How many coaches are on the staff?

20                How much are the coaches paid?

21                Do I have control over how much the coaches are paid?

22                Do you compensate coaches for spring and or summer practice?

23                Can I charge kids for summer camp participation and pay coaches out of this income?

24                Can I have a camp for the community to help raise funds for the program, coaching staff?

25                Are there any built in raises on a year to year basis?

26                Any financial compensation for playoffs?

27                Is there a budget for video production of games/highlight videos?

28                What kind of video equipment is currently being used?  Hudl account?

29                What kind of computer lab availability is there for the team?

30                Where does the team watch film and hold meetings?

31                What kind of transportation is used for the team to get to games?

32                Is there a van available for the equipment?

33                Is there a rooter bus to transport fans to games?

34                Do the cheerleaders ride with the team? If that has been done in the past, can we separate them for next year?

35                What is superintendent’s commitment to athletics?

36                Does the principal support athletics by attending games and communicating with coaches?

37                What is the budget for football like?

38                Do you have input with the budget on an annual basis?

39                What fundraising is necessary to fund the things you want to do?

40                Who pays for reconditioning helmet/shoulder pads?  School or Boosters?

41                Who pays for new uniforms when they are needed?  School or Boosters?

42                What does the current equipment inventory look like?

43                How old are the current uniforms and when will new ones be bought?

44                Is there a football specific logo?

45                If not, can I create one for marketing purposes?

46                What has been done in terms of leadership development for the players in the program over the last 3 years?

47                Is there money for staff development from the school budget?  Clinics? Hotel/food/transportation?

48                Where are the home games played?

49                Can I tour the facility?

50                What are the locker room facilities like?

51                Is there a place for coaches to use as a locker room/changing facilities?

52                How far is the locker room from the field?

53                Is there a field house for pregame, halftime?

54                What is the press box facility like?

55                How many coaches can fit in the press box facility for my team?

56                Is there a good place to film from at the press box?  Is it covered?  Electricity available close by?

57                What other teams use the facility/field?

58                When do they practice during the football season?

59                Do other teams use the field/facility during the summer?  If so, when?

60                Do any youth football programs use the field/facility during the football season?  If so, when?

61                Who is responsible for securing game management like the chain crew and officials?

62                Who is responsible for field set up like sideline markers?  Chains?  Goal post pads?

63                Who is responsible for hydration?

64                Is there an athletic trainer?  If so, how is he/she involved in the football program?

65                Student athletics trainers available for the football program?

66                If no trainer, how are injuries dealt with and who supervises the medical side of things?

67                Who has the team doctor been?  Is he/she planning on returning?  Contact info?

68                Who has been the Booster Club president/officers?

69                What is the Booster Club management like?

70                Can I get a copy of the Booster Club by laws?

71                What kind of politics are happening right now in the Booster Club?

72                How much money is in the Booster Club account currently?  Any outstanding expenses?

73                Can I mandate that my football players and their families help to fundraise?

74                Is there a youth football “feeder” program for our program?

75                If so, what programs naturally feed in to our program?

76                Is there a junior high school that feeds in to our high school?

77                If so, what school is that and what kind of relationship does our football staff have there?

78                What kind of rules are there at this school, the league, the section, the state regarding recruiting kids to our school and football program?

79                What kind of volunteers are currently invested in the program?

80                What does someone need to do in order to volunteer for the program?

81                Is there someone who oversees the stat-keeping?  If so, who is it?

82                Is there an equipment manager?  If so, who is it?

83                What are the minimum scholastic requirements in order to be involved in athletics?

84                Who monitors the grades of the football players?

85                How often are the grades monitored and used for eligibility?

86                Has the team had a study hall historically?

87                What have the practice hours been traditionally?

88                Are there any restrictions on practice? School, league, conference rules regarding practice?

89                Is there a weight room facility?  If so, can I see it?  If not, what plans are there?

90                How does your school deal with multi-sport athletes?

91                Can I mandate that my football players lift weights year round?

92                Can I mandate that my football players attend a summer program?

93                Who has the final say on the players who participate in my program?

94                Is there a strength and conditioning coach?

95                How is the school enrollment doing?

96                What attracts kids to this school?

97                What deters kids from coming here?

98                What is the administration doing to attract the top student-athletes in the area?

99                Which sport is this school known for?  How is that sport doing currently?