Youth sports coaches have different personalities and come in all shapes and sizes. But there are characteristics that all coaches have regardless of experience, own athletic skills, background, and sport.
They make the sport about the kids
Why do some people volunteer as coaches? It probably comes as no surprise to you that many of them want to relive their glory days. Maybe they were the star player in high school or were close to playing pro ball even.
For whatever reason, they never made it to the next level. And coaching now gives them the opportunity to be an authority on the sport again. Of course, this isn’t always the case. However, there are coaches out there who make the team about them, relying on the kids wins determines their success.
They don’t play favorites
Just as some teachers have been known to have class pets, some coaches have favorites. You guessed it; they’re usually the star players. While a great coach also celebrates their most skilled athletes, they also don’t ignore the players that need a little more attention.
They put safety first
A good coach would never do anything to jeopardize the safety and well-being of their players. They would never push them beyond their physical and mental limits. A great coach would have undergone CPR and First Aid certification training to ensure that they can be counted on in the event of emergencies or injuries.
They are role models for respect and good sportsmanship
You can talk to kids about being respectful to their teammates and opponents all you want. Ultimately, it is your actions that they will learn most from. A great coach never badmouths the other team or teaches their athletes to be bitter about defeat.
They’ve undergone coach training
If a coach is serious about being the best coach they can be, they will invest their time in learning all they can so that they have a good foundation in coaching. Through training, coaches will learn about their responsibilities, expectations, and limitations.
They teach that winning isn’t everything
A great coach teaches their athletes that winning isn’t everything. In competition, there is always a winner and a loser. However, losing the game shouldn’t take away the fact the team still had fun, put in their best effort, and learned something. A great coach teaches that there are valuable lessons to be learned from failure.
They don’t bring down players’ self-esteem
Ultimately, a great coach is also a good human being. They inspire and motivate. They foster camaraderie amongst the players. They don’t tolerate bullying. They show their young athletes how to improve their skills so that they feel empowered by their progress.