Coach a kid this fall or better yet, coach your own!
Yep, its back-to-school and that of course, also means back-to-sports. This fall when those volunteer, sign-up notices start to fill your inbox, I hope you’ll join me in trying your hand at coaching. Yes, I know snack duty is tempting and far less daunting. But imagine the impact if every kid’s mom volunteered to coach.
Our sons and daughters need to see us out on the sports field, they need to see us lead and they need to see how we lead, especially when we don’t quite know what we’re doing. I’d never played or coached soccer when I first started coaching, but I quickly discovered my big advantage… I am an adult and they are kids. After that, things got a whole lot easier.
In the end, I learned a lot about soccer, but I learned more about myself and found entrée into the Technicolor lives of a whole group of wonderful, now-teenagers.
So this fall, I hope you’ll join me on the field or court!
Missy Park
Founder
I find this topic intriguing and inspiring, and kudos to those who have the time and opportunities available to take on such a commitment.
I would also like to point out there are many positive ways to be an active role model and to engage kids in sports and active endeavors. [There are some simpler ways to get started.] My kids’ first race was the Rag-a-Muffin run at the Title9K last summer. Since then, I have sought out a number of other races where they can also participate in a kid’s run – ranging from the 100M run and long jump at local track meets to a 3k. We pin all our numbers up at home and have a couple walls with photos and finisher’s ribbons. My kids are really excited to point these out when guests come over.
As a child I was backwards and had little confidence in myself especially when it came to sports. My father has always loved archery and passed that love along to me. I now coach our Elementary Archery Team. The best part of coaching is being able to help a child realize their potential and letting them know that you don’t have to be a superstar to have fun and enjoy sports. When a parent comes up to me and says “My child has gained so much confidence and has grown so much because of this sport”, that makes me feel like I’m doing my part to encourage our future generations. It can be exhausting but what fun way to give back to your community through coaching.
This is my 4th year coaching Jr. Football and I could not be happier that I leapt in. I got involved because I saw some male coaches that didn’t know how to talk to kids – and they didn’t actually know that much about football, either! It was a huge learning curve for me, but stretching brings confidence. My sons (11 and 14) and husband love that I’m out there on the field, as do the parents of the boys I coach. We’ve met incredible people through youth sports and, most importantly, we’re there as a family. It doesn’t get better than that!
Due to a lack of volunteer coaches, I was “promoted” from Team Mom to Head Coach of my son’s t-ball team this year. Despite never having coached a team before, I went for it and am so glad that I did! I was able to incorporate the fundamentals of throwing, catching, and hitting into fun games for the kids. I think that being a mother of 3 gave me a unique perspective on how to instruct children with a mixture of discipline, enthusiasm, and passion. I received many positive comments from fathers, mothers, and other coaches. The kids had a blast and improved tremendously over the course of the season. The best part: my son walked around for weeks telling random people that I was his t-ball coach. The pride in his voice gave me all the encouragement that I needed.
Missy, like you I’ve never been a soccer player (cyclist, basketball, and softball). But I lept in and have coached my son’s under 8 soccer team for the past three years. It makes all the difference that the kids think I’m awesome. :-). Sure it’s a bit extra time to go to coach training, but honestly it’s only a 3 hour class one time. Other than that I’d be at practice and games anyway, so why not coach? Why not live the example that I want my kids to see? Sometimes I don’t want to arrange another practice, but each time after we’re done it’s so worth it.
Coaching is an amazing experience, yes exhausting but amazing. I onkly have boys, but I was determined to be apart of their lives every step of the way, so I have coached 2 different soccer teams each spring/ fall. I am the “Team Mom” for the Middle School Football team, I provide 52 bagged meals for the traveling team!!! I have become the team photographer for my other sons football team, both baseball teams, 1 wrestling team & 1 basketball team. Yeap I work, my day starts at 4:30AM and ends at 11:30pm EVERYDAY!! I wouldn’t want it anyother way. Because of this, our house is the house all the boys gather. Yes it is a bit trying feeding a bunch of 14yr old boys & very smelly too..!! Don’t miss a minute of their lives!
While I agree that parents need to be active in their children’s lives I have also see the detrimental effects of inexperience on a town’s program. Those who have not coached or played should be sure to make an extra effort to get educated. The lack of knowledge abcs experience that sometimes exist in these situations become evident when a child begins to play the same sport in high school and the entire program lacks the skill to compete. Support your kids but be sure to have the knowledge to help them excel.
Reading this made me smile. I have coached my son’s co-ed basketball team ( a league for children with special needs) for the past few years. I teach them about basketball and they teach me the important things in life. Love it! Keep up the good work ladies.
You have to get out there to show our daughters that women/moms are great coaches! How else are our girls going to know we were/are athletes and they can be too. It’s lots of fun too.
Coaching kids is a great experience! I have been doing it for 16 years! I now have a young child and can’t wait to coach him when he starts playing! It is not just a positive experience for the kids, but a rewarding experience as a female coach! The opportunity to teach skills and sportsmanship can change lives and make smiles! Keep coaching moms!