ABSTRACT
When addressing issues of student athletes, consultation with coaches is one of the more powerful actions that a school counselor can take toward assisting with change. Though coaches and athletic staff have similar duties and responsibilities within schools that are shared by teachers and administrators, it is important to consider the unique demands and responsibilities they have in terms of schedule, external agency connections, and athletic organizations. Recognizing the types of strategies used by each type of coach can enable the consultant to address the consultee in ways that speak to his/her strengths as a leader, so that resistance and defensiveness can be reduced and collaboration has a better chance of occurring. It is also likely that a joint meeting between coach and student, student and teacher, and/or all three could assist with the collaborative process, but it is not always easy to accomplish solely through the consultative efforts of the school counselor.
