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Coaches and Scouts

SOC 27-2022.00Job Zone 4 · Considerable Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers coaching and scouting practice across competitive scholastic, collegiate, and professional athletic environments where practitioners plan training, develop game strategy, manage athlete development, and lead coaching organizations.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Practice session components — organize and set up under the direction of a head coach in a structured team environment.
  2. Basic sport rules and game strategies — instruct individual athletes using provided curriculum during supervised training sessions.
  3. Athlete encouragement and motivational communication — deliver using scripted protocols during entry-level coaching assignments.
  4. Athlete performance fundamentals — demonstrate correct body mechanics and movement techniques under the guidance of senior coaching staff.
  5. Academic eligibility records — monitor and track for student athletes using established institutional checklists and compliance tools.
  6. Nutritional guidelines — relay to athletes based on program-approved resources during pre-season preparation activities.
  7. Opponent scouting reports — review and summarize key findings using video creation and editing software under supervisory direction.
  8. Individual athlete strengths and weaknesses — identify through structured observation logs during routine practice evaluations.
  9. Word processing and desktop communications software — use to prepare basic practice schedules and coaching correspondence in an athletic department setting.
  10. Student athlete personal and academic concerns — listen to and refer to appropriate counseling resources following established institutional protocols.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Practice sessions — plan, organize, and conduct independently for a competitive team across a full athletic season.
  2. Coaching techniques — adjust based on observed strengths and weaknesses of individual athletes during recurring training cycles.
  3. Game-day strategy — select team members and assign roles for individual contests using performance data and scouting insights.
  4. Sport-specific performance principles — instruct small groups using multimedia educational software and computer-based training tools in a collegiate or club setting.
  5. Athlete motivation and conditioning programs — develop and deliver with reduced oversight to prepare players for competitive events and tournaments.
  6. Opposing team tendencies — analyze using video review tools and compiled statistical data to inform weekly game preparation plans.
  7. Student athlete academic eligibility — monitor proactively across a roster, coordinating with academic advisors to resolve emerging compliance issues.
  8. Athlete counseling conversations — conduct on athletic and personal development topics, applying active listening and social perceptiveness skills.
  9. Video conferencing and cloud-based sharing software — use to coordinate scouting reports and training materials with assistant coaches and support staff.
  10. Time management across overlapping coaching duties — apply structured scheduling and project management software to balance practice, travel, and administrative responsibilities.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Season-long practice and competition plans — design autonomously integrating periodization principles, athlete readiness data, and opponent analysis across a full program.
  2. Complex athlete performance problems — diagnose and resolve using deductive reasoning and systems analysis to address both physical and psychological performance barriers.
  3. Multi-layered game strategies — develop and adapt in real time by synthesizing scouting intelligence, statistical trends, and situational judgment during high-stakes competitions.
  4. Diverse athlete populations — instruct across skill levels and learning styles by applying advanced instructional strategies and differentiated coaching methods in competitive environments.
  5. Comprehensive opponent analysis — conduct using video editing software and performance databases to build detailed pre-competition scouting profiles and strategic frameworks.
  6. Student athlete holistic development — counsel on academic, athletic, and personal matters with autonomy, drawing on psychological knowledge and institutional support networks.
  7. Roster construction and personnel decisions — execute using systematic evaluation methods, balancing athletic performance metrics with team cohesion considerations across a competitive season.
  8. Nutrition and performance optimization programs — design and oversee for entire rosters, collaborating with sports medicine and nutrition professionals in high-performance athletic settings.
  9. Academic eligibility and compliance systems — manage at the program level, proactively identifying risks and coordinating with athletic administration to maintain institutional standards.
  10. Coaching staff coordination — lead assistant coaches and support personnel using personnel management and coordination skills to ensure consistent program execution.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Program-wide coaching philosophy — establish and communicate across an entire athletic department or professional organization to align staff, athletes, and stakeholders toward long-term goals.
  2. Coaching staff development — mentor, evaluate, and advance assistant and position coaches through structured professional development initiatives in competitive collegiate or professional settings.
  3. Multi-season competitive strategy — architect at the organizational level by integrating recruitment, player development, scouting intelligence, and opponent analysis into a cohesive program vision.
  4. Institutional culture of athlete development — build and sustain by embedding academic, wellness, and performance standards into all facets of a high-profile athletic program.
  5. Recruiting and talent pipeline strategy — lead organization-wide by designing evaluation frameworks and leveraging scouting networks to identify and attract elite athletes.
  6. Cross-functional stakeholder communication — lead persuasively with athletic directors, academic institutions, media, and community partners to advance program interests and public image.
  7. Technology and analytics integration — drive adoption of performance analytics platforms, video systems, and cloud-based tools across an entire coaching and operations staff.
  8. Athlete welfare and compliance governance — oversee at the executive level, setting policies that ensure academic eligibility, personal support, and ethical conduct across a full roster.
  9. Organizational performance systems — design and evaluate using systems analysis to assess program effectiveness and implement data-informed improvements at an institutional scale.
  10. Industry leadership and innovation — contribute to the broader coaching profession by presenting at conferences, shaping best practices, and modeling advanced instructional and strategic methodologies.

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Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.

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Show O*NET source anchors64 anchors · skillscrosswalk.com

O*NET enrichment · skillscrosswalk.com

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Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Athletic Coach · Athletic Instructor · Athletic Scout · Athletics Teacher · Baseball Club Manager · Baseball Coach · Baseball Scout · Basketball Coach · Bowling Teacher · Boxing Coach · Boxing Trainer · Boys Basketball Coach
RAPIDS apprenticeships
—
O*NET skills
InstructingSpeakingMonitoringLearning StrategiesSocial PerceptivenessCritical ThinkingJudgment and Decision MakingReading ComprehensionActive ListeningComplex Problem SolvingManagement of Personnel ResourcesCoordinationPersuasionSystems AnalysisTime ManagementActive LearningService OrientationWritingNegotiationSystems Evaluation
Knowledge domains
Education and TrainingEnglish LanguageAdministration and ManagementPsychologyCustomer and Personal ServiceCommunications and MediaPersonnel and Human ResourcesPublic Safety and SecurityComputers and ElectronicsAdministrative
Abilities
Oral ExpressionOral ComprehensionSpeech ClaritySpeech RecognitionInformation OrderingOriginalityCategory FlexibilityFluency of IdeasProblem SensitivityDeductive Reasoning
Work styles
Leadership OrientationDependabilityAchievement OrientationSocial OrientationSelf-ConfidenceCooperation
Technology
Desktop communications softwareObject or component oriented development softwareMulti-media educational softwareComputer based training softwareWord processing softwareWeb page creation and editing softwareVideo creation and editing softwareProject management softwareCloud-based data access and sharing softwareVideo conferencing software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Plan, organize, and conduct practice sessions.
  2. Provide training direction, encouragement, motivation, and nutritional advice to prepare athletes for games, competitive events, or tours.
  3. Adjust coaching techniques, based on the strengths and weaknesses of athletes.
  4. Instruct individuals or groups in sports rules, game strategies, and performance principles, such as specific ways of moving the body, hands, or feet, to achieve desired results.
  5. Plan strategies and choose team members for individual games or sports seasons.
  6. Monitor the academic eligibility of student athletes.
  7. Counsel student athletes on academic, athletic, and personal issues.
  8. Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of opposing teams to develop game strategies.
CIP education codes
13.131431.050131.050442.2815

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me®, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.