There are plenty of reasons not to coach youth sports these days: crazy parents, long hours, and little to no pay, to name a few.
But there are also a lot of great incentives to being involved. If any of these resonate with you, then you are in it for the right reason!
Why Bother Coaching Youth Sports?
1. You love kids. If you don’t love kids, you should not be coaching.
2. You want to be a positive role model, something kids so desperately need. Many coaches don’t fully realize the impact they can have on kids’ lives. It can be huge, and lifelong.
3. You love the game and want to pass that love on to kids. Spread the joy of playing a sport you love!
4. You’ve seen coaches who are not doing it right and you want to do your part to correct that. It’s frustrating to stand or sit on the sidelines and see coaches who are clueless about motivating, challenging, and encouraging kids. Maybe it’s time for you to step up and help!
5. You want to show kids that hard work and fun can go hand-in-hand. They are not mutually exclusive.
6. Although your job is not to solely please the parents, you do care about helping them understand how they can be a positive voice in their kids’ sports experience. Youth sports are just as much a learning experience for parents as for kids. Your example and positive voice can help them as much as their kids.
7. You are tired of hearing about abusive coaches and want to be part of a changing tide. You’ve seen that coach, either on your side of the field or court or on the opponent’s side. Instead of complaining, BE the change you want to see.
8. You love competition and winning, but not more than you love to see young players develop. Every coach wants to win, but youth sports coaches need to have as their number one priority the development of young athletes, both in character and in skill.
9. You don’t care about the money. A youth sports coach will never make a lot of money, and most of them are volunteers. If you can happily donate a ton of time, then go for it!
10. You want to be part of your child’s youth sports experience. If you’re a mom or dad who wants to coach and you can adhere to the above reasons, then go be part of your child’s world!
Many youth sports coaches are quitting because there’s too much pressure and not enough support. If you are in it for the right reasons, please stick to it. You are very much needed in the youth sports world!
Janis Meredith writes Jbmthinks, a blog on sports parenting and youth sports. After being a coach's wife for 29 years and a sports parent for 21, she sees issues from both sides of the bench.
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