Why parents should consider coaching

While young athletes will find countless benefits from playing sports, volunteering as a coach can be just as rewarding. There’s the obvious, like the amazing feeling you’ll get when you see an athlete improve throughout the season, or seeing your team win the big game. When people think of youth sports, athletic growth and development often comes to mind, but the great thing about sports is that growth doesn’t stop there.

Through coaching, you will learn how to communicate effectively and efficiently. You will learn how to deal with conflict without letting your temper get the better of you, and you will learn how to best lead a diverse group of athletes, all the while sharing your love of the sport with them. You will have the privilege of watching your players’ confidence grow and have had a heavy hand in helping develop it.

Leading a team can also bring about long-lasting relationships with your athletes and their parents. Most athletes remember their best coaches fondly. Some stay in contact for the rest of their lives. Additionally, coaching gives parents the opportunity to spend quality time with their own children.

Being an athletic coach can be challenging and most coaches are unpaid, and for those that are compensated, most don’t make a lot of money, but to give back to the community through youth mentorship, it’s a “warm and fuzzy” and a career you can be proud of. Chances are, by the time the season is over, you will have grown just as much as your athletes and that is a very good thing.