That question can have many positives; perhaps too many to even list here. By default, I view it as a gratifying question to ask yourself, as long as your heart and mind are in the right place. For me, that question allows me to assess and re-assess, as needed, my capabilities as a youth sports coach. As a matter of fact, that question is one of the most important to ask yourself, before diving into the world of youth coaching, in my opinion.
Was I interested in sports as a child/teen?
The answer to THAT is….. Absolutely! As far back as 2nd grade, sports were a vital part of my life. I began with football in the mid 1970s, in Groton, Connecticut. I was a running back and a darn good one…from a little league perspective, that is :-)! I remember being VERY skinny as a 2nd and 3rd grade youth. My football pants would constantly fall down, as I would be running down the field, scoring a touchdown. It was such a comedic part of that particular football season, that my coach had to joke about it during our end-of-year awards ceremony! My parents had always thought of that memory as being quite endearing.
I continued playing football through elementary school. During that time, I improved on my running/speed. I didn’t know it at that time, but that would end up serving me well, as I became a teenager. As I entered my middle school years, my focus changed to track & field and the ever-popular sport of tether ball! I was great at both! I was THE fastest kid in middle school and I was quite dominant on the tether ball court as well, as rumor has it. During this time, I also tried my hand at basketball and baseball. Though I did not particularly excel in those two sports, I was proficient and enjoyed playing them.
Then came high school, and that is when I really put the pedal to the metal in football and track & field. The speed that I was able to exhibit in middle school, followed me into high school and I did my best to capitalize on that. I was one of the fastest runners in high school and that allowed me to become a stellar running back in football and a vital component on my relay teams, as well as the 100yd and 200yd dash races in track & field.
These integral moments in my life as an athlete, helped to set me on the path to becoming a coach many decades later.
Parenthood and Coaching
I am now a parent of four children; two boys and two girls. They range in age from 12 all the way up to 26 and each of them were active in sports. Due to my sports background, I felt it a natural progression to have them be involved in sports as well. Fortunately, they were all open to the idea, from an early age and naturally showed interest in playing baseball, football, tennis, hockey and soccer.
As my kids participated in these sports, I always had the desire to being a coach for them, on their respective teams. I didn’t need to be a head coach, mind you. Being an assistant coach was perfectly acceptable and fine with me. I felt no desire to “run things” or be the big boss, when it came to coaching their teams. I just wanted to be involved in some way. Though three of my kids are now adults, I am still active as a coach for my 11yr old son.
Why do I coach?
As I mentioned above, this question is vitally important. The first and foremost reason for me, is that I love to see young people excel and work as a team towards a common goal in sports. I love to impart the knowledge that I gained as an athlete, onto the children under my tutelage. I am ALL for providing encouragement, strength under pressure, problem solving, teamwork, mental focus, physical stamina and good execution of a plan.
I enjoy being a teacher for young people who want to learn the skills necessary to be exceptional athletes. There is GREAT satisfaction in coaching a team, that can eventually come together as a cohesive group and play off of each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
As a former athlete and now coach, I LOVE to win! Who doesn’t, right?? That is what sports competition is all about; giving it your all, on the field/court/rink and playing within the rules, to come away with a win (NEVER CHEATING). It is a coach’s responsibility and duty to equip his/her team with the best tools to win. That being said, it IS ultimately up to each player on any given team, to utilize those tools effectively. If a win is not achievable, then it is up to the coach to motivate the team to continue to push forward and play with purpose and vigor until the game clock hits 0:00. There is no attitude of quitting while the game is being played. That is unacceptable and as a youth coach, I want to encourage my players to always play up and never down.
So…what is YOUR “Why”?
In reading this blog, I hope that you are able to put into practice, the points that I have put forward. Whether you have a desire make youth coach a full fledged career in some capacity or if you only have the goal of being a volunteer coach here and there, a number of questions should be asked of yourself, to determine if coaching young people is the correct path for you follow (though other additional questions can be asked as well) :
- Do you have a competitive spirit?
- Do you enjoy being around young people?
- Did you grow up playing sports?
- Do you consider yourself a patient individual?
- Do you mind being a mentor?
- Is there a specific sport that you are quite knowledgeable about, over other sports?
Being honest with yourself when answering these particular questions, can only help you in your burgeoning coaching journey! Good Luck and Happy Coaching!
Please feel free to leave a comment below and tell me what YOUR “Why” is! Or if you prefer to just say “Hi!”, that is totally great as well. I like it when people say “Hi!”. And as always…thanks for reading!