Cue Robert Frost
One of the things I've noticed since starting my coaching career is that the preferred qualifications are evolving.
When I started it seemed that if you had a college degree as well as some experience, you were a good candidate for many of the opportunities that were offered. Of course there were some that were out of reach, but those you knew going into the process that it would be a stretch.
That was 9 years ago and in the years that have passed, the requirements or preferred qualifications list have grown. Level I, Level II, and now Level III coaching certifications, CPR, First-Aid, Lifeguard, boating license, expert computer skills, webpage building skills, typing speed, and of course, the degree, are all examples of qualifications you're bound to see when applying for any coaching job.
Which brings us to now. I've been giving this a lot of thought in the last three or four years, and now seems the best time to start.
I'm stepping back from coaching for a year to prepare for graduate school.
In the past, I've abhorred the idea of taking a year off, but now, with several years and several programs under my belt, I feel good about taking the next step. When I started coaching, I wrote down the things that I wanted to accomplish, and slowly but surely, I've been knocking them off. I also made a list of the things I felt I needed to achieve or earn in order to move forward on my "to do" list. As the number of things on the "to do" list have dwindled, and been replaced with more ambitious goals, the "must do" list has become more and more paramount. It started with CPR and First-Aid. Then I got a boat license. Then my Level I, then Level II, and this passed winter, my Level III coaching certification.
And now, as I look at where I want to go, and what I need to do, the two remaining "must do" items are tied hand in hand.
1. Masters degree.
2. DI coaching experience.
After three years of contemplating, and figuring out how I wanted to proceed, and then investigating graduate programs as well as talking to peers about furthering my education, I've reached the point where I'm ready to take those next two steps.
I've narrowed down my list of graduate schools, and am studying for the GRE. I know this is the right step for me because when I talked about taking a year away from coaching, I felt comfortable with it. My stomach didn't do push ups, my heart didn't start racing, and I didn't feel as though I'd been punched in the gut. In fact, I felt the very opposite, excited about the prospects of starting school again, and seeing where this opportunity will lead.
So that, loyal readers is the next step in this evolution. Don't worry, I won't just drop this blog, and of course I haven't given up my need to know what's going on in the rowing world. It's just time to take another step. Here we go.
When I started it seemed that if you had a college degree as well as some experience, you were a good candidate for many of the opportunities that were offered. Of course there were some that were out of reach, but those you knew going into the process that it would be a stretch.
That was 9 years ago and in the years that have passed, the requirements or preferred qualifications list have grown. Level I, Level II, and now Level III coaching certifications, CPR, First-Aid, Lifeguard, boating license, expert computer skills, webpage building skills, typing speed, and of course, the degree, are all examples of qualifications you're bound to see when applying for any coaching job.
Which brings us to now. I've been giving this a lot of thought in the last three or four years, and now seems the best time to start.
I'm stepping back from coaching for a year to prepare for graduate school.
In the past, I've abhorred the idea of taking a year off, but now, with several years and several programs under my belt, I feel good about taking the next step. When I started coaching, I wrote down the things that I wanted to accomplish, and slowly but surely, I've been knocking them off. I also made a list of the things I felt I needed to achieve or earn in order to move forward on my "to do" list. As the number of things on the "to do" list have dwindled, and been replaced with more ambitious goals, the "must do" list has become more and more paramount. It started with CPR and First-Aid. Then I got a boat license. Then my Level I, then Level II, and this passed winter, my Level III coaching certification.
And now, as I look at where I want to go, and what I need to do, the two remaining "must do" items are tied hand in hand.
1. Masters degree.
2. DI coaching experience.
After three years of contemplating, and figuring out how I wanted to proceed, and then investigating graduate programs as well as talking to peers about furthering my education, I've reached the point where I'm ready to take those next two steps.
I've narrowed down my list of graduate schools, and am studying for the GRE. I know this is the right step for me because when I talked about taking a year away from coaching, I felt comfortable with it. My stomach didn't do push ups, my heart didn't start racing, and I didn't feel as though I'd been punched in the gut. In fact, I felt the very opposite, excited about the prospects of starting school again, and seeing where this opportunity will lead.
So that, loyal readers is the next step in this evolution. Don't worry, I won't just drop this blog, and of course I haven't given up my need to know what's going on in the rowing world. It's just time to take another step. Here we go.
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