Coaching Youth Sports

It’s All About The Kids Nothing Else

When it comes to coaching youth sports, the first concern must always be the kids.  Nothing else matters in the whole universe of youth sports more than the kids.  The sooner that the youth coaches of today realize this, the better off the state of youth sports will be. 

The first thing that coaches need to realize is that no matter how hard they try, they are not going to be coaching in The Super Bowl, The World Series, The Olympics, The WNBA, MLS, or The NBA finals.  Most youth coaches are parents trying to help their child get to the next level, and there is nothing at all wrong with that.  The problem arises when coaches try to re-live their childhood through their children.  Guess what coaches? Your children are not you.  Your favorite sport may not be theirs.  Generally, their interests may not be the same as yours.  Sometimes a coach’s ego tends to get in the way as well. Coaches do not need to try and change everything about the athlete, the way they throw or hit or shoot or kick. Most importantly, coaches don’t need to go out and try to win the league championship at all costs.  The cost may be greater than you think.

Your job as a youth coach is simple; teach the athletes what they need to know, to the best of your ability, in order for them to compete at the next level of play.  Teach the athletes the rules of the game, good sportsmanship, how to control themselves in an intense, competitive environment, and teach them sound fundamentals of the particular sport in which they are participating, also teach them good work habits.  These things will not only help them to reach the next level of play, but will also help them to achieve their goals in life as well.

Remember when I said youth coaches are not going to be coaching in the pros? That’s true but the athlete they are coaching may have the potential to make it to the pros in their chosen sport.  Several years ago I was asked to help coach a baseball team in a summer league, Todd Helton was one of the athletes in that league.  What if I or someone else in that league or one of his coaches throughout the years had done something to deter or destroy Todd’s desire to play Major League Baseball?  Baseball would have lost greatly and so would have Todd.  Wouldn’t it be a shame if you as a youth coach did something to possibly ruin that chance or destroy that dream for another young athlete, just to feed your ego?  Do what’s right do it for the kids.