Author Talk: Matthew Raidbard "Lead Like a Pro"

Lead Like a Pro: Effective Leadership Styles for Athletic Coaches

With each passing year athletic coaches, at all levels of sports, are asked to take on increased leadership responsibilities for their athletes and team. However, they don’t always have the opportunity to receive the necessary coach-related leadership education and training that would provide them with the knowledge and tools required to effectively coach the team, manage the kids and parents, and deal with any unexpected conflicts or tensions that arise during the season. This talk is designed specifically for athletic coaches to provide them with foundational leadership knowledge and teach them techniques they can use to practice the best leadership style and behaviors that align with their personal values and beliefs. During this program, I will give an introduction to leadership practice, discuss the importance of coaches viewing themselves as leaders, and teach coaches how to make intentional leadership choices. I will also teach coaches how to determine the best leadership style and behaviors are for them to practice based on their personal values and beliefs. This program is also designed to help coaches understand the impact their leadership choices can have both positively and negatively on the kids they coach.

Matthew Raidbard

After obtaining his Bachelor of Arts in history and classical studies from Indiana University, Dr. Matthew Raidbard decided to pursue his dream of being a college basketball coach. His first college basketball coaching job was at Western New Mexico University, where he also completed his Master of Arts degree in Educational Leadership. In 2018, Dr. Raidbard conducted a study on how college basketball coaches perceived themselves as leaders, finding that many coaches were unsuccessful because they lacked the necessary tools and training to be effective leaders. His findings inspired him to write this book and dedicate himself to helping coaches at all levels improve their leadership abilities so that they can be the best and most effective leaders for the athletes they are entrusted to coach.