Here are some good reasons to consider volunteering:
You’ll get to spend more time with your child
Your child might only be six years old now but there will come a time that he/she will naturally start to spend more time with friends and teammates and less time hanging out with mom and dad. Coaching his/her team is a wonderful way to keep a strong connection.
You’ll expand your social network (and I don’t just mean your Facebook friends)
Let’s face it, it’s not always easy for busy adults to make new friends. But getting involved in our kids’ teams can be an introduction to like-minded families who value physical activity and sometimes life-long bonds are forged. Who doesn’t need a new friend (or a potential carpool backup for other events)?
You’ll develop new skills
Northland United Soccer Club offer clinics and web links to help teach the coaches about their sport and about coaching techniques. It’s a fantastic and important thing to never stop learning. It’s what keeps us young and helps us to relate to our children as they develop new skills. Plus it shows your kids that you’re willing to get out of your comfort zone which is a really powerful thing for a parent to role model.
You’ll learn and re-learn life lessons
Many coaches will say that while they know the importance of instilling positive values in their players, they themselves learn a lot of life lessons along the way. While coaching can sometimes test your patience, it also develops it. Patience, along with fair play, responsibility, having fun, leadership, and problem solving are just some of the valuable lessons taught and learned in team sports. Coaches have to reflect on having to adapt their teaching styles to fit the personalities of their players. Skills such as effective communication and developing self-confidence are tools that they can take from the fields and use in their workplaces and in their homes.
You’ll get a work out, too (and be a good role model)
Nothing tests your athletic endurance like trying to keep up with a field full of six-year-old athletes! Coaches get the benefits of working out with their players at practices and find as the kids’ skills and fitness levels improve, theirs do too. There’s the added plus of being an active role model but it’s also really good for your own health and well-being to get out there and move.
You’ll come away with a sense of pride and accomplishment
Goals don’t always need to be that huge . . . kicking the ball for the first time can be just as rewarding as kicking a goal and—to a coach who has worked tirelessly on helping that player reach that milestone. It’s that “simple smile” that may keep you coming back season after season.
You’ll have fun
The number one reason kids play a sport is because it’s fun. And honestly, so is coaching. Getting to know the kids, helping them learn, seeing them gain confidence, and taking risks is part of what makes it so great. But you’ll also get to run around and play and that is, truly, fun at any age.
If, after all this, you are still not convinced to try coaching but you have time to devote to a team, assistant coaches and team managers are always needed. Parents can also participate in a variety of roles that require less of a time commitment. The opportunities are endless.
If you have the chance to take on the role of coach or any other position in your child’s athletics, don’t shy away. You may find that the benefits for you are just as rewarding as they are for your children.