There are certain aspects of sport coaching that set it apart from other types of more fitness related instruction.
The first thing, sport coaching is much more intricate. Different athletes are going to have very different needs and this must be addressed in the training protocol.
For example, an endurance runner is going to have to train using a variety of methods that will utilize the slow twitch fibers more than a sprint athlete would. The sport coaching staff must be able to recognize this and meet these needs.
Additionally, sport coaching will involve a much greater extent of psychology than regular fitness instruction will. Because the average person who is looking to get into shape does not need much in terms of mental training, personal trainers do not need to be knowledgeable in this area. Athletes however, are faced with all kinds of mental demands, from pressures of competition to dealing with other athletes that are trying to affect their confidence levels. Having an instructor who is able to help them in this will give them an extra edge over their competition.
All athletic instructors should be registered under a certifying body. Different countries will have different preferred regulatory organizations so it is important to look into what those are and make sure that the instructor has done coursework through these. That will help ensure that they have all the training they need to effectively work with athletes.
Lastly, while it's great to have young instructors, athletics a lot of the time does come down to plain experience and seeing a variety of situations take place. Since an older individual has likely been around longer and will have this experience, they may have a slight advantage. The best option would be to have both younger and older instructors so you can get the best of both worlds. Young instructors are likely able to connect and relate to the athletes more while the older ones have the life experience to really make improvements in performance abilities.
