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CoachThem

CoachThem is a leading online coaching tool and web-based platform designed to revolutionize the practice planning process. We have hockey, lacrosse and soccer, and we will be expanding into new sports really soon.

Our mission is clear: to empower sports through technology, inspiring creation, driving collaboration, and evolving the next generation of coaches with a vision to create a platform that simplifies and educates coaches at all levels, from youth to professional.

By providing digital drills and practice plans, we enable coaches to save time, enhance communication, and improve their teaching methods. We believe in the power of organization and collaboration, ultimately aiming to support coaches in delivering exceptional coaching experiences and guiding young athletes to their fullest potential while impacting their development both on and off the ice.

Tell us about yourself?

I was honoured to acquire a full-ride scholarship to Michigan State University for hockey, where I had a successful four-year career. While there, I pursued a major in Telecommunications and a minor in Virtual Reality, Software Development, and Webdesign. My dedication and skills on the ice earned me accolades, such as making the NCAA 1st Team All-Star team multiple times and receiving two Best Defensive Defenceman Awards.

Upon transitioning to the professional level, I began designing websites for local businesses while grappling with the uncertainty of my playing career due to my height of 5’9″. During this self-reflection period, I started contemplating my post-career aspirations; a thought often considered a jinx by many professional athletes.

Driven by a passion for hockey and the desire to streamline the coaching process, I founded Defence First Hockey School, which I have successfully run for the past 24 years. During this journey, I experienced the tediousness of repeatedly redrawing the same drills and descriptions. This realization led me to create CoachThem, a revolutionary platform that allows coaches to draw a drill once and have it available for life.

If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?

I’d like to think that everything happens for a reason, and everything works out as it should, but if I could have sped up some aspects, I probably would. I’d try to emphasize the importance of agility and continuous innovation. I would encourage myself to embrace a growth mindset, actively seek coach feedback, and adapt our platform to meet their evolving needs. Additionally, I would remind myself to prioritize building strong relationships within the coaching community, as collaboration and partnership are key to driving meaningful impact and achieving our vision.

CoachThem

What problem does your business solve?

At CoachThem, we solve the toughest and most time-consuming challenge for sports coaches – creating an organized practice plan. The repetitive task of drawing the same drill multiple times throughout the season consumes valuable time and hampers productivity. Our goal is to provide coaches with a simple and efficient solution that eliminates the need to waste time on the ice. Coaches can easily access and customize resources to fit their team’s specific needs by offering a vast library of pre-designed drills and practice plans. The ability to share these organized practice plans with fellow coaches and players streamlines communication and ensures everyone is on the same page.

With CoachThem, the days of painstakingly drawing repetitive drills are over. Coaches can focus on what truly matters—improving their players’ skills and achieving optimal performance. We empower coaches with the tools and resources to create quick, organized practice plans, saving time and enhancing the overall coaching experience.

What is the inspiration behind your business?

The inspiration behind starting CoachThem stemmed from my personal experience with the time-consuming preparation for my hockey school. I encountered the challenge of ensuring all my coaches were aligned and equipped with the necessary instructions to effectively set up and teach the required skills for each drill. The traditional methods of drawing drills and photocopying, followed by cutting and pasting to create lesson plans, proved to be incredibly cumbersome. Through conversations with coaches across various levels, from youth to professional, I discovered that these struggles were widely shared within the coaching community. This realization fueled my determination to develop a solution that would simplify the drill drawing and practice planning process, ultimately empowering coaches to optimize their coaching sessions and enhance player development.

What is your magic sauce?

Our secret sauce is our unwavering focus on simplicity, ease of use, and reliability. Our unique offering includes the flexibility for users to choose from a variety of options: they can either leverage pre-existing drills from our free marketplace, customize them to fit their specific needs, or create their own from scratch.

One of our standout features is the sketchpad, which stands as the most comprehensive and feature-rich drawing tool available in the market. For hockey coaches, we boast an extensive library of over 2,500 drills and 50 pre-designed plans, covering a wide range of skill sets and training objectives.

At CoachThem, we believe that simplicity, user-friendly design, and a comprehensive drill library are the key ingredients to making our platform the go-to solution for coaches looking to streamline their coaching process and drive optimal results.

What is the plan for the next five years? What do you want to achieve?

Our aim is not to be perceived as a luxury item but rather a necessity for coaches at all levels. We strive to provide the essential tools, resources, and support that coaches require to enhance their coaching sessions and maximize player development. By continuously innovating, listening to feedback, and collaborating with the coaching community, we will evolve and adapt to meet the ever-changing needs of coaches. Ultimately, our overarching goal is to become an indispensable and inseparable part of a coach’s coaching journey, enabling them to excel in their roles and drive excellence within their teams.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?

The biggest challenge would be establishing trust and convincing our users, especially non-professional youth coaches, of the value and ease of use our platform offers. Many of our clients are volunteer parents or individuals who have stepped up to coach their child’s team. These coaches often rely on traditional, repetitive methods and may be hesitant to adopt a new technology-driven solution.

Our task has been to demonstrate to these coaches that there is indeed an easier way to create practice plans and streamline their coaching process. Breaking through the traditional, non-tech-savvy mindset and helping coaches recognize the benefits of our platform has required consistent education, support, and showcasing the tangible advantages of using CoachThem.

How can people get involved?

Simple! Visit our website, www.coachthem.com.  If you are looking to empower your coaching and simplify the process, sign up for our 10-day FREE Trial of the PRO experience. www.coachthem.com/register.

If you are part of an association, reach out today and find out how we can help you succeed.

For coaches who love the platform and want to share with others, sign up for our referral program at Rewardful! Share your love of CoachThem and get compensated for it!