Why Parents Should Coach Youth Sports

Being a coach for your children’s youth sports team can create a unique bond between you and your kids. In today’s world, it’s rare to get time with your kids where there’s no screens involved. Coaching youth sports is one of the best ways to interact with your kids without screens! Here’s five reasons you should volunteer to coach your kids this season:

1. Being Involved

Volunteering to coach your child’s youth sports team is a great way to be involved in their lives. You’re able to help with their growth and development as well as meet their friends on the team.

The important part about being involved as their coach is to remember not to give them special treatment. That goes for both positive and negative special treatment- don’t be harder on them, but also don’t favorite them. It’s a fine line, but if you’re just there for them and coach them as you would the other kids, it gives them a chance to enjoy your time together rather than feeling more pressure.

2. Make Memories

Coaching youth sports is a great way to make memories that your kids will never forget. Being there when they hit their first homerun or make their first three-pointer creates positive memories your kids will forever associate with you as their coach. You will not only be there for the moment, but you will be a part of it too!

3. Help Your Kids Build Life Skills

Sports help kids build confidence as they get older. Learning the importance of sportsmanship is a gateway to necessary life skills for success and improved confidence. As their coach, you get the opportunity to instill these sportsmanship values on a regular basis. Being part of the reason your kids believe in themselves is something your kids may even thank you for one day!

4. Building Your Own Leadership Skills

Coaching a youth sports team helps you develop your own leadership skills as well! You’ll learn how to communicate to different audiences. For example, coaching soccer to three-year-olds is different than coaching soccer to 12-year-olds. Coaching kids with quieter, more shy personalities and kids with loud confident personalities at the same time also requires different techniques. Coaching your kids through the years will help you learn how to adapt to different communication styles which is an important skill for leaders in the game and at work.

5. Rewarding

Coaching young athletes is one of the most rewarding activities. The first time you see a child smile after they score their first goal or hit their first ball makes showing up for them worth it. It’s exciting to know you were part of that accomplishment! Watching young athletes grow and improve their skills because of what you’ve taught them is a humbling experience you won’t forget.

Volunteer to Coach with i9 Sports^®

Coaching with i9 Sports^® is unique in that we help you along the way! We don’t just throw you in, we give you the tools you need to succeed. We provide our coaches with skills, drills, and videos to help make coaching easy. All of our coaching resources can be found on our Mobile Coach App so you can pull it up on-the go at practice when you need it. Fill out our application to volunteer today!