I guess my concern is how much data needs to be collected to say a coach or personal trainer is the better choice? In some cases it is obvious. However, there are truly bad coaches and great coaches at each level. I believe researching your choices ahead of time could be very useful. I do think a coach who has produced numerous school record holders, state medalists, etc. are worth listening too over a personal trainer as they have a lot more data and longer track record to show they are making a difference. This can also be seen at the club level. I have benefited greatly by being involved at the AAU and USATF level. Are kids have gotten stronger and more experienced by keeping up their training in a competitive plus structured environment. The reality as coach at the high school level you are usually dealing with parents that don’t understand high school athletics or even know what your program is about. I believe a parent meeting at the beginning of the school year can go a loooooonnnng way in taking care of these problems ahead of time. When I knew I was getting a potential high school national record holder I felt it was very important to meet with the parents ahead of time. I learned a lot from that experience and my hope is it will help me again as I have a young super talented freshman who has a father the recently retired from the NFL. He is a future Hall of Famer. I want to do right by him and the trust he has put into me coaching his daughter.
"Nature hides her secret because of her essential loftiness, but not by means of ruse." -Albert Einstein