4 Benefits of Being a Volunteer Youth Sports Coach
Posted by C G on 9/25/2019
Tags: Coach and Volunteer
Being a coach certainly has its challenges. It can be tough
to keep a dozen 5 year olds engaged and get them to focus on kicking the soccer
ball. However, with those challenges comes a multitude of benefits, joys, and
perks. Here are four benefits of volunteering as a youth sports coach.
Giving Back
Think back to your playing days. You didn’t just run around
aimlessly, right? Of course not, you had a coach! That coach was there to keep
you on task and, more than you may realize, corral you and your teammates. But
your coach was also more than just a babysitter. Your coach not only helped
teach you new skills but also helped you develop your character and values. By
volunteering as a coach you are filling those same shoes your coaches once
filled and giving back to your community like countless coaches before you.
Serving as a Role
Model
Being a volunteer coach with the YMCA is much more than
teaching X’s and O’s. You are somebody that the players look up to and try to emulate.
They don’t see you as someone who will be responsible for one day leading them
to the pros. What they see is somebody that they respect and admire. They don’t
judge you on your in-depth knowledge of the sport, they judge you for your
leadership and your ability to be a positive role model.
It’s Fulfilling
Try and remember the first time you picked up a basketball
or kicked a soccer ball. You may not have been very confident in your skills.
Truthfully, you had no idea what you were doing. Now think about the first
basket you made or the first goal you scored. You were probably filled with
excitement and joy at your accomplishment. Chances are, your coach was filled
with pride over your success. Your coach was able to witness your evolution and
development, from that very first shot to your very first goal. Your coach was
able to share in that joy with you because they were responsible for getting you
to that point. Being able to see players discover the joy for the game
firsthand is a uniquely rewarding experience. Coaches have a front row seat to
that kind of experience and fulfillment.
It’s FUN!
If you solely listen to professional coaches give post-game
press conferences you may not think being a coach is all that enjoyable. But
believe it or not, it’s an absolute blast! There’s nothing quite as
entertaining as leading a group of players through a silly game or activity. In
fact, the goofier you are as a coach the more fun you’ll have. As mentioned
before, players aren’t expecting their 1st grade baseball coach to
get them to the big leagues. What their concerned about is whether or not
practice will be fun, and you as the coach get to be the one responsible for
their joy.
Written by
Drew Hill
Sports
Director
Chesterfield
Family YMCA