Club Coach Program

Being a Club Coach will fulfill a requirement to earn your Advanced Leader Silver (AL-S) award. You do not need to have reached any specific level in Toastmasters or given a specific number of speeches to be a coach. However, you cannot coach a club of which you are a member. The club coach relationship will last for at least a year and many coaches find themselves sticking around and joining the club when the year is over. You are there to advise a club; make suggestions on ways they can improve. You are not there to do the work for the members and leaders. Your objective is to rebuild a club by helping them reach the Distinguished Club Program goals including membership number goals.

• Club Coaches are appointed by the District Governor.
  
• Two Club Coaches may be appointed for any Club with 12 or fewer paid members.
  
• A Club Coach may not be a member of the "At Risk" Club at the time of his or her appointment.
  
• The Club Coach will receive a distinctive pin upon his or her appointment and further recognition upon successful completion of the program.
  
• A Club Coach is successful if the Club becomes Distinguished during the Coach's appointment. Successful Club Coaches receive credit toward the Advanced Leader designation.
  
• The term for a Club Coach can be extended one year beyond the year of appointment, upon request.
  

Be a Club C-O-A-C-H!

C - CHEERLEADER

The Club Coach is a cheerleader. A cheerleader builds enthusiasm and unites the onlookers to support the team.

The Club Coach:
• Supports the Executive Committee and praises the officers
• Supports the Toastmaster and meeting participants and leads the applause
• Boosts morale when spirits flag

O - OBJECTIVE

The Club Coach brings much needed objectivity to the struggling club. Toastmasters International furnishes the Coach with a survey by which the Coach can evaluate the Club's strengths and weaknesses. This survey forms the basis for an action plan to rebuild the Club. Objectivity is not brutal. However, it is important that the Coach homes in on real problems inhibiting Club progress.

A - ABLE

New Toastmasters may be enthusiastic and even objective. However, the Club Coach must be a knowledgeable and experienced Toastmaster. Knowledge is especially important in these areas:

• The qualities of dynamic and successful Club meetings
• Methods and techniques for building membership
• Mentoring
• Area Toastmasters who can help with meetings and program assignments

C - CONFIDENT

The Club Coach must bring optimism and confidence to the Club environment. The struggling Club does not need someone to join in the hand wringing. Defeatism is the Club's greatest enemy.

H - HELPFUL

A Club Coach is willing to get in the trenches and bring his own resources to bear on the problems at hand. This may mean calling on Toastmasters outside the Club to fill in meeting roles, provide mentoring, or to provide an audience for meetings. It may be to obtain materials from World Headquarters or discover TI policy or procedure on a certain item. It might be to bring ideas to the Club based on best practices of successful Clubs in the area. It may be to promote the Club elsewhere. It is not the role of the Coach to take over the duties of the Executive Committee. Instead, the Coach helps in a supporting role.

To become a Club Coach, contact theDistrict Club Coach Coordinator.

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