Sports coaches usually stick to one area of expertise, but will that always be the case? While it’s true that you need to know the game and the players, there are lots of other elements to coaching. In fact, if you’re a fan of the game, you can quickly catch up to speed with the rest of the knowledge you need.
With that in mind, could we see traditional sports coaches moving into other areas, like esports? Here’s a rundown of what that would look like and how it would work:
Esports on the Rise
The first question most people would ask is why they would leave mainstream sports. They might want a new challenge, and there’s plenty of room for growth in esports. It’s big business, too, so it could offer serious opportunities for those who want to do something a bit different.
In fact, the global audience for esports is set to reach 640.8 million in 2025. Any coaches who already have an interest in gaming could carve out a new niche for themselves in esports.
What do Esports Coaches Do?
Before you can imagine traditional coaches in an esports role, it’s useful to think about what that job would involve. The role varies depending on the game, team, or individual player that the coach works with. However, every role requires leadership and good communication.
Other responsibilities include:
- Improving player performance by developing training programs
- Analyzing footage and giving feedback to improve performance
- Motivating players and managing the team dynamics
- Coming up with game plans for matches and tournaments
Transferable Skills that Traditional Coaches Have
The responsibilities on the list above aren’t that dissimilar to the duties of coaches in other sports. While some suggest that soccer managers would be best suited to the move to esports, don’t rule out other sports. There are lots of transferable skills that could work in their new roles in esports.
Strategy
Every sports coach needs to know how to strategize. For an esports coach, that involves creating a game plan. The specific elements are planning moves for the game in general, upcoming matches, and the bigger picture in tournaments. Being able to think one move ahead and even more is crucial.
Coaches need to keep the win in mind. They’re responsible for helping teams and players to plot the route to success. Strategy is about more than the next win; it’s about improving rankings, getting promotions, and winning tournament trophies.
Mentoring
Sports coaches are used to acting as mentors. Whether that means tough love or other forms of motivation, it’s a key skill that’s useful in esports, too. Mentoring goes beyond gameplay. It’s about creating a positive culture for the team.
That can include supporting overall health and well-being, including mental health. Often, it means instilling discipline and resolving conflicts. These all require interpersonal skills, including the ability to read people and situations, as well as communication skills.
Analysis
Coaches need analytical brains. Attention to detail is crucial in every sport. It helps coaches look at the multiple aspects that come together to determine the gameplay. That’s needed in esports, too.
While it might not revolve around the same kind of physical performance, there are other elements to analyze. Decision-making is key, as is handling pressure. Another part of sports analysis is turning data into feedback, including identifying and rectifying mistakes.
Building Teams
Coaching is also about getting everyone together and forming a team. Individual players can play together, but to be a team, it takes someone to recognize the different skills and find ways to get everyone to work together.
That also includes practical elements, such as setting up practices and picking areas to focus on. Building teams also involves spotting young talent nd recruiting and onboarding new members, which happens in all sports.
Let the Crossover Begin
On reflection, it’s not so outlandish to think that traditional sports coaches could make the move to esports coaching. If they already love gaming, they’re almost ready to step into the role. Even if they need to brush up on their knowledge, the transferable skills will stand them in good stead. From communication and talent spotting to motivation and strategizing, the two worlds aren’t that far apart.