Amos University Head Coach Turnaround Plan

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Oct 2, 2025

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For this assignment, you have just been hired as the new Head Coach (of your particular sport) at Amos University!

First…Your Bad News

You have inherited a team that has experienced very little success over the last decade. Whether it be games, matches, or tournaments (obviously this depends on your sport), your new team has consistently performed at a level that could, at best, be described as poor. Your team has not won a Conference Tournament Game in seven years and has not had a winning record in five years.

Your Arrival

You are an outsider. You did not graduate from Amos University. You just moved to the area two weeks after being named the new Head Coach. After spending several days on campus, speaking with students, staff, and faculty; watching game film; and assessing the program; you have come to realize that you might have gotten yourself into more than you bargained for. No one on campus has anything positive to say about your team. Your hiring was met with little fanfare or even casual acknowledgement. It seems that everyone has lost hope for this program and that includes its current players.

Your Assessment

The team leadership could best be described as apathetic. There is a rising group of seniors (currently juniors, they will be seniors for the coming season) who have never known success in the confines of this program and seem to have fallen in line with the apathy that plagued those seniors that came before them. Team cohesion is almost non-existent, to go along with the apparent lack of leadership. While some of the current players seem to display a small glimmer of hope that a new coach can bring success, they have seen too much failure to truly believe that.

Game Plan Time

Now it is time for you to form your game plan. How are you going to approach this program? How are you going to right this ship? SMGT 401 Obviously, you will seek to improve recruiting and bring in talent, but you cannot convince high-level recruits to commit to your program with it being in the state that it currently is in. You must make changes and begin to improve this program from the inside.

INSTRUCTIONS

The Actual Project

Within the confines of this scenario, you will spell out your plans to turn this program around. There are a myriad of topics that you can discuss, and you are encouraged to elaborate past the talking points prescribed, but you must address the following areas and provide specifics as to how you plan to improve these areas:

• Will you keep the current Assistant Coaches and Support Staff or start fresh and hire new ones? (The answer to this question is not as easy as it might seem as both options carry consequences).

• What will be the short and long-term Goals that you will set for your program and in what timeframes?

• What type of Team Culture are you going to seek to build and how will you do that?

• How are you going to get current players to ‘Buy In’ to your program?

• How are you going to build Team Cohesion?

• How are you going to develop Leadership on the team?

• How will you Motivate your players during these seasons of rebuilding?

• How will you build your players’ Confidence in both themselves and you as a leader?

You may address other areas of team development if you would like to, but you must address the questions listed above at minimum. Your responses to these questions should not be one or two lines but rather an in-depth answer and rationale combination with specific, detailed examples. ‘Depth’ is the key word here. You need to demonstrate that you have taken time to thoroughly analyze this situation and make decisions that you believe best represent your values as a coach and the goals you seek to achieve.

The Finer Details

This assignment is to be submitted through Canvas as an attached Word document. This assignment should be 6 pages in length. This assignment must be in current APA format and include a Title Page, Reference Page, and Section Headings; no Abstract Page is required. Because of the nature of this project, writing in both first and third person is perfectly acceptable. You are encouraged to use existing research and publications to justify the decisions that you make. At least 2 sources must be utilized.

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

Below is a step-by-step roadmap and an editable outline you can paste into your Word document. Follow this structure to produce a deep, evidence-based 6-page APA paper that answers all required prompts.

1) Suggested paper structure & page guidance (to hit 6 pages in APA format)

Title Page (not counted in 6 pages) — APA format.
Introduction (≈ ½ page) — Brief context and thesis statement (your overall plan/approach). State sport, context (Amos Univ.), and your coaching philosophy in one sentence.
Assessment of Current Program (≈ 1 page) — Summarize problems (apathy, cohesion, losing history) and evidence you observed (film, interviews, campus sentiment). Use 1–2 citations that support why initial assessment matters (team dynamics literature).
Staffing Plan: Assistants & Support Staff (≈ 1 page) — Decision, rationale, and implementation steps. Provide evaluation criteria and a transition timeline.
Goals: Short- & Long-Term (≈ ½–1 page) — SMART goals with timeframes (3-month, 1-year, 3-year, 5-year). Include measurable KPIs.
Culture & Buy-In Strategy (≈ 1 page) — Values, rituals, expectations; steps to secure player commitment.
Team Cohesion, Leadership, Motivation, and Confidence (≈ 1–1.25 pages) — Specific interventions and programs for each (see details below).
Additional Program Components (recruiting, academics, alumni, facilities) (≈ ½ page) — Brief plans showing you thought holistically.
Conclusion (≈ ¼ page) — Reiterate top priorities and expected short-term wins.
Reference Page(s) (not counted in 6 pages) — APA formatted references (minimum 2 sources; 4–6 recommended).

2) Title Page & Section Headings — quick tips

Title page: Title, your name, course, instructor, date.
Use clear section headings (e.g., Assessment of Current Program; Staffing Plan; Goals; Culture & Buy-In; Team Cohesion & Leadership; Additional Components; Conclusion).
Use both first and third person where appropriate (first person when describing actions you will take).

3) Staffing decision — keep or replace? (how to decide and implement)

Decision framework (recommended: phased, evidence-based approach):

Phase 1 — Rapid audit (first 2–4 weeks): meet each coach/staff member individually; review practice plans, film notes, player evaluations, recruiting contacts, and academic oversight records. Use a standardized evaluation rubric (communication skills, technical competence, recruiting network, player development record, culture fit).
Phase 2 — Short-term retention with probation (months 1–3): retain coaches who meet baseline criteria and show openness to change. Provide clear expectations and a 90-day improvement plan.
Phase 3 — Strategic hires (months 3–12): if gaps remain (e.g., no strength & conditioning expertise, poor recruiting), recruit selectively for those roles. Prioritize culture add and demonstrated player development outcomes.

Rationale & specifics:

Keeping some existing staff can preserve continuity and campus relationships. Replacing everyone risks loss of institutional knowledge and fuels further distrust. A mixed approach reduces disruption while signaling change.
If any assistant demonstrates ethical issues, abuse, or unwillingness to change → immediate replacement.

Implementation detail examples:

Use a 5-point rubric and share results with athletic director.
Offer professional development (coaching clinics, mentorship) to promising existing assistants.

4) Goals — SMART, measurable, and timebound

Examples:

3-month (Immediate): Re-establish weekly one-on-one player meetings; implement team charter; increase average practice intensity scores by 15% (measured by coach/practice metrics).
End of season (9–12 months): Improve win percentage by X% (set realistic target, e.g., +2–3 wins), increase team GPA by 0.2 points, and reduce player retention attrition to <5%.
3 years: Achieve at least a .500 season and a winning record in the conference; demonstrate measurable improvement in key performance indicators (team stats).
5 years: Return to conference tournament win and sustainably improved recruiting footprint (top prospects under serious consideration).

KPIs to track: win/loss record, player retention, recruiting leads converted, average practice attendance/intensity, player GPA, team cohesion survey scores (pre/post).

5) Building the Team Culture — values, rituals, & structures

Core values to establish (pick 3–5): accountability, effort, respect, continuous improvement, teamwork. State them plainly and make them visible (locker posters, social media, team charter).

Practical steps:

Team Charter session (week 1–2): co-created by coach AND players — expectations, roles, consequences. This creates “ownership.”
Daily practice structure: predictable warm-up, skill focus, competitive drill, plus reflection (5–10 min) at end of practice. Predictability reduces anxiety and increases buy-in.
Rituals & micro-traditions: pregame huddle phrase, post-practice “plus/delta” feedback, recognition of “effort player of week.” Small rituals build identity.
Visible accountability: use a simple scoreboard for practice attendance/effort and a transparent consequence ladder agreed in charter.

6) Getting players to ‘Buy In’ — practical tactics

First 30 days:

One-on-ones with every player (30–45 minutes) — listen first. Ask: what motivates you? What’s stopping the program? What would make you commit? Take notes and follow up.
Co-create short-term goals with team leaders and each player — people follow what they help create.
Create immediate small wins: e.g., team scrimmage with measurable improvement, an organized film session that players find valuable, or visible academic support offering. Celebrate wins publicly to build momentum.

Communication:

Weekly team meeting + individual follow-ups. Use honest, consistent messaging — explain “why” behind changes. Influence is built through transparent decisions.

7) Building Team Cohesion — interventions & timeline

Evidence-based steps:

Structured team-building program (first month): bonding activities that align with sport goals (problem-solving drills, cooperative tasks that require trust). Avoid purely social events that don’t transfer to performance.
Role clarity workshops: each player receives a written role description (on-court responsibilities, off-court expectations). Role clarity reduces conflict.
Interdependence training: design practice tasks that require coordinated effort rather than individual excellence only.
Measure cohesion: administer a validated team cohesion survey (e.g., Group Environment Questionnaire) pre-season, mid-season, post-season; use results to adapt initiatives.

8) Developing Leadership on the Team

Leadership model: distributed leadership (captain + leadership council) rather than single authoritarian captain.

Steps:

Selection process: nominations + coach assessment + leadership interview. Look for emotional intelligence, communication, and influence, not just performance.
Leadership training: monthly sessions on conflict resolution, peer mentoring, and facilitating team meetings. Use role-play scenarios.
Mentorship: pair rising juniors with senior mentor roles; structured mentoring improves succession planning.

9) Motivation during rebuilding — short & long term

Intrinsic & extrinsic mix:

Intrinsic: emphasize mastery goals (skill improvement), autonomy (players have input on practice drills), and relatedness (strong peer bonds).
Extrinsic: praise, recognition, small tangible rewards (team gear), and publicly celebrate milestones. Avoid over-reliance on external rewards.

Micro-goals: set weekly and monthly targets tied to skill improvement and tactical metrics. Measure, review, and adjust.

10) Building players’ confidence (skills + trust in coach)

Skill confidence:

Implement individualized skill development plans with measurable progress markers. Use frequent, specific feedback and video to show improvement. Early visible improvement breeds confidence.

Trust in coach:

Be consistent, honest, and keep promises. Follow up after one-on-ones and be transparent about decisions (e.g., playing time rationale). Trust builds faster when coach demonstrates competence AND care.

11) Other program elements to address (brief)

Recruiting pitch rewrite: sell vision, culture, development plan, academic support, and immediate playing opportunities. Use current short-term wins in recruiting materials.
Academic support: mandatory study hall, tutoring partnerships, GPA monitoring. Academic success boosts program reputation.
Alumni & community engagement: small events, newsletters, and alumni mentorship can yield support and boost morale.
Strength & Conditioning and Sports Medicine: immediate evaluation and personalized plans to reduce injuries and improve performance.

12) Measurement & evaluation (how you’ll prove progress)

Data you’ll collect:

Game results, practice attendance, practice intensity metrics, percent of KPIs met, recruitment inquiries, player retention, GPA, cohesion survey scores, injury rates.

Reporting cadence:

Weekly practice metrics to staff.
Monthly KPI dashboard for athletic director.
Mid-season and end-of-season formal report with data and adjustments.

13) Sample evidence and references (use at least 2 in your submission)

Use these foundational sources to justify your interventions (example APA-style citations):

Carron, A. V., Colman, M. M., Wheeler, J., & Stevens, D. (2002). Cohesion and performance in sport: A meta-analysis. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 24(2), 168–188.
Weinberg, R. S., & Gould, D. (2019). Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology (7th ed.). Human Kinetics.

(Both sources support the importance of cohesion, leadership, and psychological skill development in team performance — cite these where you discuss cohesion, leadership training, and motivation.)

Additional helpful readings: (use for background and more citations)

Jowett, S., & Cockerill, I. M. (2003). Incompatibility in the coach–athlete relationship. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology.
Côté, J., & Gilbert, W. (2009). An integrative definition of coaching effectiveness and expertise. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 4(3), 307–323.

14) Example language you can paste directly into your paper (to save time):

Introduction (example opening paragraph)
I was recently hired as Head Coach of the [sport] program at Amos University. Upon arrival, the program presented significant structural and cultural challenges: persistent losing records, low campus support, and weak team cohesion. This turnaround plan outlines an evidence-based, phased strategy to rebuild the program from the inside—focusing on staffing decisions, SMART goal setting, culture creation, leadership development, and measurable interventions to improve performance and player development.

(Use this pattern as your paper’s opening; then expand each following section using the guide above.)

15) Practical writing tips to reach ‘depth’ and APA requirements

Use section headings exactly as required. Each major bullet above should become a section.
Support all major claims (e.g., “team cohesion predicts improved performance”) with at least one citation.
Include realistic examples and small implementation checklists (e.g., 90-day coach improvement plan template).
Reference page: include Carron et al. (2002) and Weinberg & Gould (2019) at minimum. Add any other sources you used. Format in APA 7th edition.
Keep an academic but practical tone — this is both a plan and a persuasive leadership document.

16) Quick checklist before you submit

Title page in APA format.
6 pages of body content (not counting title & references).
Section headings present and clear.
At least 2 scholarly sources cited & included in References.
Specific timelines, KPIs, and at least one data collection method described.
Proofread for clarity, grammar, and APA in-text citations.

17) Useful links for research and APA formatting

APA basics (Purdue OWL): https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html
Human Kinetics / sport psychology resources: https://us.humankinetics.com/
Practical coaching leadership overview: https://www.nsca.com/ (National Strength & Conditioning Association)
Group cohesion measures (for survey ideas): look up Group Environment Questionnaire via Google Scholar.

Remember! It’s just a sample. Our professional writers will write a unique paper for you.

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Amos University Head Coach Turnaround Plan

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

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