Coaching

• The primary function of an athletic coach is to teach and direct his players in a particular sport. He must help his team understand the game they will play and draft strategies to put his team in a position to win. This is fairly similar, in some regard, to the role a life coach plays.
  
  A life coach will try to have her client understand the various avenues of life, and then draft strategies to help that person succeed. Life coaches will often develop plans that root into a variety of facets of one's life, such as finances, relationships, education and career.
  
  

Role models

• Coaches need to remember that, like it or not, they are role models. They have teams, fans and even society looking up to them and expecting a high level of conduct. A coach needs to remain professional and learn to control his temper, even when it is difficult to do so. Coaches are going to get upset at referees or players, but it is how they deal with the anger that is important. If the anger is not dealt with in a professional manner, the coach will risk losing his position.
  
  

Leaders

• Part of the professionalism that must be displayed by a coach is in his leadership abilities. A coach must realize that it is his responsibility to lead the team. This leadership includes maintaining a positive attitude, even when facing bad situations. He must remain professional and do his best to instill a sense of optimism in the team.
  
  A coach should be mindful of the fact that his players are looking to him and the example he sets for them. If the team sees a defeated attitude in the coach, it will have a negative impact on how it plays. The coach's responsibility is to put his team in a position, to the best of his ability, to win the game.
  
  

Mentors

• The coach of an athletic team teaches their players strategies and develops skills. Beyond this, coaches are also needed to be there as mentors for their players. Athletic coaches need to remain cognizant of the world outside the sports arena. It is the professional responsibility of a coach to be available and willing to help a player who is experiencing issues with an area outside sports. At the very least, a coach should be able to help direct a troubled player to someone who is equipped to deal with whatever issue arises.
  
  

Ethics

• Athletic coaches need to be careful not to allow personal opinions influence their decision whether to play an athlete or not. If a coach feels as though the player will be ineffective, that is one matter. When a coach chooses not to play an athlete based simply on the grounds that he doesn't like that particular player, this conduct is unprofessional.
  
  In the same manner, a life coach should do her best to help all of her clients, even if she finds them to be annoying on a personal level. The life coach has made a professional commitment to help others and must remain true to this particular duty.