Coaching 101

Learn how to lead, teach, and keep athletes safe in ANY sport

A female Pelican Diving Team member is standing on the end of the 1-meter diving board at Golden Gate Aquatic Facility.
Learn how to coach young athletes to play soccer through the Pelican Diving Coaching 101 Course.
Women playing volleyball, with one woman celebrating near the net and others falling or preparing to play on the floor.
A young boy wearing sunglasses and a gray T-shirt playing tennis outdoors. He is holding a tennis racket with tennis balls on the racket's strings, with a background of blurred trees.

This course teaches teens (ages 13-18) the foundational aspects of being an athletics coach. Students will participate in very BASIC springboard diving exercises as the means to learn coaching techniques. (Must be comfortable in deep water, but no special skills required!)

Teens learn basic coaching skills, effective communication techniques, how to plan and structure safe practices, ways to teach skills step-by-step, & how to teach life skills.

Meet the Teacher:

Kari Jo (KJ) Shephard

Close-up of a woman with dreadlocks smiling and lifting her arm, set against a grey background.

Kari Jo (KJ) Shephard is the co-owner and manager of the Pelican Diving Team. With more than 21 years of teaching experience, including homeschooling her 3 sons and teaching at the secondary level, she has experienced a broad range of teaching positions.

She also has taught over a decade as a certified fitness and yoga instructor. KJ brings a strong foundation in both education and athletic coaching. She is passionate about bringing positivity to each athlete in every lesson. She leads with energy, care, and a commitment to making fitness a lifelong priority, and most importantly, FUN!

What Students Learn

  • Geometric drawing of an outline square with sections divided by vertical, horizontal, and diagonal lines.

    Leadership & Communication Skills

    • How to listen and understand others while clearly communicating desired outcomes

    • How to encourage and motivate others to become the best version of themselves

  • Geometric drawing of an outline square with sections divided by vertical, horizontal, and half circle lines.

    Sports Fundamentals

    • Breaking down sports-specific skills into drills for athlete development

    • Using creativity to reach a desired technical goal

  • Geometric drawing of an outline square with sections divided by vertical, horizontal, and circle lines.

    Safety Rules

    • Keep athletes safe during training on and off the court/field/pool deck

    • Students will be SafeSport certified at the end of the class

  • Geometric drawing of an outline square with sections divided by vertical, horizontal, and diagonal lines.

    Practice Planning & Giving Feedback

    • Designing fun and effective training sessions

    • Giving positive and helpful corrections

Pelican Diving is an official Step Up for Students provider!

A logo with a stylized red human figure and the text "Step Up" in black script, and "For Students" in red block letters.
An informational flyer for Pelican Diving presents a coaching 101 professional development course for aspiring coaches aged 13-18, covering safety practices, skill development, and athlete growth, with details about dates, time, location, and fee.

If you have further questions, please ask!