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Coaching education programs at the collegiate level are on the rise. Exact numbers are unknown, but we can estimate that there are approximately 150 undergraduate or graduate certificates, minors, or degrees that provide some form of coach training.

Why is coach education and development at the college level so important? One primary reason is to dispel myths about coaching. In the animated movie Ratatouille, which I might have seen one too many times, chef Auguste Gusteau is adamant that “anyone can cook.” Unfortunately, the same belief might exist in the coaching profession, with many thinking that it requires little training or expertise to coach. Simply watching coaches or experiences as an athlete might lead some to suggest that they now possess the many skills required to be ethical and effective as a coach. Such logic would suggest I have the skills to be a dentist: I have watched dentists and I have been a dentist’s patient. Therefore, I am now good enough to be a dentist. Trust me, you do not want me as your dentist!