Who coaches the middle school and high school athletic teams? What qualifies someone to coach middle and high school sports? Coaches only need a teaching certification to coach in the state of Texas. There is an extreme lack of certified or experienced coaches with a degree in kinesiology. Gaining knowledge of kinesiology and knowing how the body reacts when exercise is applied is essential to becoming a good trainer. Inexperienced coaches pose a safety risk to student athletes and pose a potential liability to the school itself. If the requirements needed to coach in middle and high schools in the state of Texas were held to a higher standard, there would be less risk of injury, a more efficient training program, and a better understanding of how to implement a healthy lifestyle. Middle and high school coaches should be required to have a bachelor's degree in kinesiology or at least a coaching certification. The current low coaching requirement in the state of Texas is the direct cause of potentially harmful inexperienced coaching programs in schools. “Currently in the state of Texas the only requirements to become a coach are to be a certified teacher, have a Texas Education Agency license, and be eligible to become a coach” (Brown). This policy benefits schools in Texas financially, but in turn can become a liability for the school and pose health risks to student athletes. It is more economical and convenient for schools to hire teachers with mere interest in coaching, without requiring special training or additional educational requirements. While this initially saves the school money, the effects a bad coach can have on a school solve the problem of implementing higher coaching requirements. If an athlete is injured, whether the injury occurs during a sporting event or during practice, the school runs the risk of a lawsuit. Even if there is a known risk