Why I Coach Youth Sports
I have been coaching youth sports for over 9 years now, it is the reason why I started District Champ. Every year I am lucky enough to get a new group of kids to work with. The fact is, coaching has now become how I identify myself, as a youth sports coach. It is a way of life for me. It is the thing that I look forward to every day, every week, every year.
There are many reasons why I coach youth sports, but here are a few reasons that I continue to get on the pitch with some of my favorite people. If you are looking to start coaching youth sports, I highly recommend it.
Make a Positive Impact
As I have grown, making an impact on the world has become more and more important to me. Playing sports is where I learned many skills for life. I believe that being a youth sports coach has given me the opportunity to make an impact on the wonderful kids that I coach.
Every year it is my goal to help these kids see what they can become, not what they are. I believe that the impact that I leave on my players is the confidence they need to become better people, better leaders, and become the best version of themselves.
Give Back to the Community
There are thousands of ways that you can serve your community. I have chosen to be a coach and service the players that are on my team. When you take on being a coach, you need to realize that you are taking on more than just teaching these boys and girls how to play the game. You are teaching them how to succeed in life. I believe that serving your community is important and this is why I coach.
Create Lifelong Memories
Maybe I am a bit different. Outside of meeting and marrying my wife or my kids being born, most of my best memories revolve around playing sports. In fact, most of my childhood memories revolve around youth sports.
For example, me and the neighborhood crew would play in the front yard until the sun went down. Shooting hoops, tossing the pigskin, or hitting rocks in the field behind our house. Yes, the late 80’s hit was a little different than today, but I also have memories of hanging with the crew playing early versions of Madden and NBA Jam.
The point here is that sports gave me and my crew memories that to this day I remember. As I got older, I have plenty of memories of shagging balls in the outfield with my best friends. Getting ready to play my best friends in Pop Warner and getting jacked to beat them. Did we win, not sure, but the memory of playing with my friends is still there.
For me, and I know this is not true for all (another reason why I coach youth sports), playing youth sports was always positive. I never had a bad coach until high school, maybe a post for later. Because of these amazing memories, sports have been and will always be part of my DNA.
Make New Friends
One of the foundations of District Champ is the ability and want to build a supportive community. Personally, I believe this is more important than ever before. As I write this blog post, I look back at an 18-month-long pandemic that kept us away from the fields, out of the classrooms, and glued to our screens. I watched my kids wake up, log on, and go through the motions. It was heartbreaking and I am still not sure what the long-term effects are going to be.
To me, sports is where you find like-minded people. People that want to thrive to be better, compete in everyday life and build relationships. When you are on the right team, and have the right coach, you are going to create a community that is positive and encouraging.
I coach youth sports because I love the interaction between the team, the coaches, and even the parents. It has been my goal every year to build a bigger community, make new friends, and teach the kids how to do the same.
As I look back on life, this is one of the best things that I have learned. The ability to welcome and include new teammates. This is maybe one of my biggest strengths even in the corporate world.
The ability to build a community and move to a goal. I learned this because I would make new friends each and every season.
Learn Valuable Life Lessons
Playing sports teaches life skills.
While playing sports I learned more about how to be a team player, super important in working life. I learned how to lead a team, again super important in the real- world. I learned how to work hard and teach myself new skills. I learned how to treat others because back in the day, sportsmanship was actually a thing.
One of the main reasons why I coach youth sports is to ensure that these future champions are learning that there is more to sports than just the outcome of the game. To me, coaching is about more than just teaching a kid how to dribble a soccer ball through cones. It is about setting them up for success in school and hopefully their career.
So, I coach youth sports to help these champs not only now, but hopefully in the future.
Sidenote: If you are going to coach your kid’s team, ensure that you have more to give than just skills. 99% of these kids on your team will not make it past high school. They need to learn how to dominate life outside of sports. Your role in this is super important.
Being Part of Something Bigger
Here is the main reason that I coach youth sports, I can make a difference in the lives of these kids. When I take on a team it is my goal to impact the team in more than just wins and losses. I want to share my knowledge and experience with the kids with the hope that I made an impact.
I never made it to the big show. Yes, I was successful up until college, I mean I did letter in 4 sports, but never made it to the next level.
However, I look back at my experience in sports and I contribute much of the success I have had in life to my years playing as part of a team, competing with my teammates, competing against my best friends, and learning lessons that have shaped who I am as a person. I hope for the better.
So, it is my hope that I can do the same thing for these kids. I can help them learn something that is going to help them through a difficult situation. I can show them how we treat others. I can help them understand how to be a better person. I want to share my life experiences with these youngsters to help them become champions both on and off the field.
Coaching is Fun
Ok. The real reason that I continue to coach and continue to give my time to my players is because I love it. It is that simple. I love to be on the field working with my players. It is one of the things that I look forward to each and every year.
Why I Coach Youth Sports
Well, there you have it. This is why I coach youth sports. This is why I dedicate hours to these future champions every week. It is not for the pay (trust me). It is not for glory (we lose a lot of games). It is not for the snacks (these are good). It is to help empower these future champions.
Sports have given me a lot in life. I feel that it is my turn to give back and this is why I coach youth sports.