I’ve always been passionate about sports since I was a kid. When I was in my senior year at Arizona State University finishing up my Psychology degree, I began to contemplate what I was going to do after school. I was at a Phoenix Suns game and saw something on the video board about coaching kids. It was one of those moments where you feel like a light turned on within you. I enjoyed working with kids and had always loved participating in sports, but had never thought about coaching as a profession. After that moment, I knew that I wanted to pursue coaching kids sports.
Coaching kids sports is rewarding because you have the ability to directly impact the life of a child in a positive way. The values that a coach can teach kids can help them to become successful throughout their lives and in turn impact society for the better.
I want to start by listing some reasons why you shouldn’t get into coaching
- You’re in it for the money- Coaching kids isn’t a lucrative career and often becomes more of something to do on top of your full-time job or on a volunteer basis.
- You don’t like kids- This seems like a given, but if you just don’t work well with kids, coaching them isn’t going to be for you. It bothers me that we glorify coaches on tv screaming at players and refs, as I don’t think this is a reflection of a great kids coach.
- You want to relive your past- Sometimes as adults, we want to live vicariously through our kids, but this just puts added pressure on kids. It’s tough to accept when our playing days are over, but it’s time to move on.
- You don’t have the time- If you have so many other obligations it’s going to be difficult to commit to being a coach. Kids need someone that is going to be there for them consistently, it helps them to know you care.
- It’s something to do- There are so many other ways that you can get involved in making a difference. If you don’t know anything about sports or have the desire to work directly with kids, it’s probably best to look for another type of volunteer opportunity.
How to get into Youth Sports Coaching
So, you know that you want to get into youth sports coaching, but now what?
When I first realized I wanted to get into coaching youth sports I had no idea where to begin.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Volunteer- This is one of the best ways to get started in youth sports. I began to reach out to high school basketball coaches asking if I could volunteer. I found a local high school that was willing to let me volunteer as an assistant freshman basketball coach.
I wasn’t paid but was able to gain valuable experience learning from the coaching staff and how to work with kids. Many of the recreational leagues rely on parent volunteer coaches. This can be a great way to get started learning how to coach kids.
Here is my post on how to be a great volunteer coach.
Be Proactive- I’m a big believer in going after what you want. Typically, opportunities aren’t going to fall in your lap, rather they come from your willingness to put yourself out there. Talk to people and let them know you are willing to help support them.
Coaches are great people and looking to support one another. Good help can be hard to come by, so be that person that is willing to go the extra mile.
Education- There are so many great resources available for coaches on the internet. Research the rules and basics of the sport that you want to coach. Watch videos, observe games, go to clinics, and just be a sponge.
I completed a Master degree program in Athletic Coaching from West Virginia University and am always looking for ways to learn.
You don’t necessarily need a Master’s degree, but continuously being a student of the game is important to becoming a great coach.
City Leagues- One of my first paid experiences coaching was through a city recreational league. I had a blast coaching a 6th-grade girls’ basketball team.
It was awesome to be able to coordinate my own practices and get a feel for being a head coach.
Many city leagues offer an opportunity for those that don’t have much experience to get started.
Training- There are certain things that coaches need to have. One is fingerprint clearance.
Any sort of felonies or criminal offenses against children will prohibit you from working with kids.
Also, CPR/First Aid is generally required to coach kids sports.
NFHS certification is required to coach in Arizona schools so it may be good to complete that certification in your state.
Do I need Experience to Coach?
Playing experience is definitely beneficial, but not necessary. If you are willing to study the sport you are coaching and learn from others, then you can be a great coach.
A degree is something that can also be helpful, especially in the teaching profession if you want to coach within schools.
Any types of experiences working with kids or being a parent is also helpful. A lot of it depends on what your goals are for coaching.
Obviously, if you’re just planning to be a volunteer coach for a recreational league, then you won’t need as much experience as someone trying to be a head high school coach.
Positive Coaching Traits
- Leader
- Empathetic
- Listener
- Integrity
- Caring
- Organized
- Communicator
- Planner
- Confident
Reasons Why Coaching is Rewarding
Make a Difference- One of the major reasons that I enjoy coaching kids is that I can have a positive impact on their lives.
Sports has enriched my life in so many ways that I want to help other kids experience that for themselves.
The life lessons that can come from sports is invaluable.
With all the stressors that kids face today, it’s important for kids to have positive adult mentors.
Be Active- So many kids are spending insane amounts of time staring at a screen that I want to do all that I can to encourage an active lifestyle.
Kids should be spending time outdoors, playing, and enjoying life.
Helping kids be active leads to healthier kids.
Enjoy Working with Kids- There is an amazing energy that comes from being around kids.
Kids can help you maintain that feeling of being young.
It’s just enjoyable to feed off of the youthfulness of kids.
Teaching- Being a teacher is such an important part of being a coach. It has always astonished me that things that just seem routine to me, aren’t to kids.
It’s important to be able to break things down into small chunks that are understandable for kids.
There is no better feeling for a teacher than to see your student understand a concept, and be able to independently apply it.
Love for the Game- I’m a huge fan of sports and enjoy being around the game.
Most coaches enjoy competing and just being around the sport they loved playing.
Challenging- I’ve never been big on doing the same thing every day.
Working with kids always presents a new challenge, since kids aren’t always going to conform to what you want them to do.
Kids have unique personalities and you have to find different ways to motivate each child.
It can be a challenge, but also fun to try to understand how to positively influence each child.
Part of Something- Leading a team of kids makes you feel like you are part of something.
Sometimes jobs can feel like you aren’t serving a bigger purpose, but working with kids helps you to know that you are part of something bigger than yourself.
Accomplishing Goals- As a coach, I’m also a big cheerleader. I relish in seeing others accomplish goals and things that they want to do.
It gives me great satisfaction to see personal growth in the kids I work with and watching them grow to become better individuals.
Strategy- It’s rewarding for me to plan and create practices, training sessions, and in-game strategies to maximize a kid’s abilities.
Even though I appreciate just having fun with sports, I also enjoy the competition and strategizing when I’m coaching more competitive sports.
In conclusion
Whether it’s a volunteer opportunity, part-time gig, or you are trying to create a full-time job with it, coaching kids sports can be personally rewarding in so many ways.
Being a great coach can help mold a child’s life, preparing them for future greatness.
I hope that if you are considering coaching kids, that you share some of my reasons for coaching, and are in it to serve others.
Please comment below on anything that you enjoyed from this post.