The best place to start is the beginning. Before a child even enters a recreation league, it's a great idea to have them work with a private coach (maybe a StarterCoach?) so your child will understand the rules, what "good" means on the field or court of play, and to feel more confident about themselves when they meet their first teammates. Older, more experienced athletes are great 1 on 1 candidates as well, and require more customized training.

Ages 6-17 are all good. Because we work exclusively 1 on 1, we can customize training programs to suit any age. Newcomers to a sport often have the most difficulty. It makes sense to have a personal coach before kids enter into the traditional town/city recreation league. However, more experienced and advanced athletes can benefit greatly from personal attention to help bring them to the next level.

Most private coaches will charge anywhere from $60-$150 per session. We feel this excludes far too many kids from the benefits of 1 on 1 coaching. That's why each StarterCoach session is a flat fee of $45. This fee is paid during the online booking process and uses PayPal. Cancellation is allowed up to 24 hours before a booked session.

No. StarterCoach offers a great many benefits that cannot be matched at summer camp, but there are qualities of summer camp that cannot be matched in a 1 on 1 training program. StarterCoach programs focus on building fundamental skills through engaging 1 on 1 instruction. Summer camps (usually) offer team play and team strategy that can be a great benefit to a skilled individual. Ask your child's summer camp if they would like to partner with StarterCoach!

They find us! Coaches come from around the country and from all levels of experience. Middle and High School coaches take our certification courses to help enhance their knowledge, stay active as a coach in the off season, and become a more integral part of their communities. College athletes become StarterCoach certified for a great summer job while staying connected to their sport. You can read their biographies on each of their personal pages, and see what others have to say about them on our forum. You do have to be signed in to do read bios and the forum, of course. Lucky for you, it's FREE. Sign Up Now!

Absolutely. Our coaches are the heart and inspiration behind StarterCoach. When you see a coach listed as "Certified" from StarterCoach you know that coach has submitted to and passed a comprehensive background check. In addition, coach candidates submit letters of recommendation from respected community members as part of the certification requirements. We want to make sure that each and every coach represents only the very best experience for your child.

Of course. You should choose a coach based on their biography, parent comments in the forum, and any personal communication you have from potential coaches. Coaches indicate in their biographies if they are willing to coach kids of one or both genders. The decision is up to you.

You will receive a confirmation email and then be able to activate your membership. After that, it's up to you. Here is an idea of how it works. You can browse or submit your own threads in the Parent/Coach forum. Research our certified coaches. Read articles on youth sports and related material in our blog, The Coaches Edge. Look on the Help page to see what it looks like on the inside of StarterCoach from both the Parent and Coach perspectives.

By the coaches themselves. Just as parents have a set of actions you can take while signed in, coaches have a different complimentary account profile. All certified coaches are able to completely manage their own schedules. When you see an available date for the coach you want, book it! Because if you don't, someone else is likely to. The StarterCoach online booking system does not allow for double booking of available time slots. So book your coaching session as soon as you see that it's available.

It varies for each kid. StarterCoach allows booking for single sessions only. However, fundamental improvement is not going to happen overnight. The number of sessions required to show real improvement will be determined by how well the child and coach work together. Some kids prefer to have 3 or 4 sessions and then work on their own. Others prefer to set up a regular once or twice a week session and go year round. StarterCoach allows you to use us how you need us.

The attention span of young active athlete is about 1/2 of a nanosecond. Our coaches are trained to keep their attention through fun and competitive skill-based activities. You'll be surprised what will get done in 45 minutes when it is just 1 coach and 1 athlete. At the end, your son or daughter will be tired but also energized. Most kids can't wait for the next training session. We feel this is the perfect amount of time to cover enough skill areas and keep kids engaged.

Absolutely! In fact, it is encouraged. Our coaches realize that you may like the idea of 1 on 1 coaching because it frees up your time. You are not required to watch the training session. But it will mean something to your child to see you there taking an interest. Being able to see what the coach is doing will also help your son or daughter work on certain skill drills that you saw. I know it sounds crazy, but not all kids have the greatest of memories. Who are we kidding? Kids can forget the room they just walked out of. If you are present, you can talk later with your child about the different drills and instructions provided by your coach.

This is a great advantage and a strong reason to consider using 1-on-1 coaching. Training sessions can happen pretty much any place you want! Some sports may need specific equipment (e.g. basketball sessions need a basketball hoop), but for the most part all you need is an open space for coach and player to focus. No need to reserve or pay for gym fees. Public parks, your own driveway or backyard, and open field in your neighborhood - wherever is most convenient for you.

During the online booking process you will be asked to fill in a description of the location. This could be your home address or a familiar local park. After making your booking, your coach will contact you to confirm the booking via email or our online private messaging system. At that time, you can clarify the exact location for the coaching session to take place.

Each coach has a forum dedicated to parent/coach feedback. Once signed in parents can provide feedback on coaches they have used for their child. Positive feedback is always encouraged, but all honest and accurate feedback is expected. Read up on what other parents have said about each of the coaches and use that information to help you decide. You can also ask questions directly to the coach(es) you are considering.

At the conclusion of the session booking process StarterCoach will forward you to a secure payment screen allowing you to use a major credit card or an existing PayPal account. All payments are done through PayPal regardless of which option you choose. This is to utilize PayPal's extensive experience with online payment processing to make your transaction as secure and safe as possible. At the present time there is no pay-by-phone option available.

The coach you hired is under contract with StarterCoach, Inc and is not permitted to accept direct payment for coaching services. This is to help both you and the coach. It helps you by insuring that coaches provide complete StarterCoach service, including submitting an online report within 24 hours after completing each coaching session. It also allows the coach to focus on one thing, helping your child get better. No money is ever exchanged on site eliminating any awkward moments between coach and parent.

Within approximately 24 hours after every coaching session, coaches will complete and submit a report detailing the drills and performance of your child during that coaching session. That report is available to you online in your account. As far as we know, this is the only athletic coaching service available that provides such attention to parent feedback. We want you to know what is going on, what is and what is not working with your child.

No. Unfortunately the liability of transporting your child by car or any other means is far too great. Our coaches are there to coach and only coach.