Olympic Coaches Basically Carry the Team, but Do They Get Medals?

Getting to compete in the Olympics has to be one of the highest honors. After all, only the best of the best even qualify, right? Being awarded an Olympic medal, be it silver, bronze, or gold, is, of course, the icing on the cake because it signals to the entire world that an athlete (or a team of athletes) has achieved the highest level of athletic excellence.

And for the athletes (or teams) who have the pleasure of collecting a medal at the Olympic Games, many can credit their coaches (along with their own skill and talent) for helping them reach that point. So naturally, you might assume those same coaches would also be awarded a medal if the athlete(s) they train rigorously and guide end up collecting one.

But do they actually? Well, the answer might surprise you, and possibly disappoint you. Keep reading to find out.

They don’t. It isn’t customary for Olympic team coaches to receive medals, as those are reserved for the athletes who actually compete and win in the events, according to Britannica.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has never included awarding medals to team coaches involved in the Olympics as an official tradition. Not even Herb Brooks, who one person claimed on X (formerly Twitter) received a medal in 1980, was awarded one. While he successfully coached the U.S. team at Lake Placid to win gold against Finland, according to the United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum, he did not receive a medal himself.

While coaches can receive medals or rings in other sporting organizations, like the NFL, the Olympics do not grant them a medal when their team wins (bummer!).

That would then explain why USA women’s hockey coach John Wroblewski was captured in a viral photo asking athlete Hilary Knight if he could hold her gold medal. For context, the USA women’s hockey team won gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics, dethroning Canada.

Since team coaches don’t receive medals, it’s understandable that Wroblewski wanted to feel what it’s like to hold the large golden medal in his hands, since he didn’t get one for himself.

Naturally, this has all sparked mixed reactions from fans. While the athlete is the one committing to the training and competing, having a knowledgeable, skilled, and dedicated coach is just as important.

After the photo of Wroblewski started making the rounds in February 2026, people took to the comments section of the X post, suggesting that coaches deserve recognition, too. “Coaches deserve medals, too,” wrote one person, while another commented, “Coaches don’t get medals. It’s ridiculous.” Another user added, “Team sport coaches should get medals, this is crazy.”

Based on the commentary, it’s pretty clear that many believe coaches should be awarded medals just like the athletes, because without their guidance, you truly have to wonder whether the teams would even make it that far in the first place.