Hilsinger Shares Six Ways Coaching Kids Rewards the Coach as well as the Kids
Signing on to coach youth sports is a big commitment for busy professionals, Elliott Allan Hinsinger says. You will spend your weekends on the sidelines. You will have two or three practice sessions every week, too. But coaching youth sports is at least as good for the coach as it is for the team, Hilsinger says. Here are six rewards of coaching young athletes.
Feeling the Rewards of Being Part of a Team
Some young people will never be star athletes, but all young people can feel part of a team. Coaches don’t just share team spirit, they make that feeling of belonging possible for kids who don’t fit in elsewhere. As a coach, you can be sure you are making a difference in the lives of youth and their families.
Reconnecting to the Sport You Love
Nearly every coach in youth sports was once a player. Some will have played in college or even professionally. But nearly every coach has set their favorite sport aside to pursue work and family obligations.
Coaching kids helps you reconnect to your youthful passions. The difference is that now you will make strategic and tactical decisions. You will know your sport in more depth and from a different perspective than was possible when you were young.
Giving Kids Life-Changing Opportunities
The Aspen Institute’s Project Play found that children who engage in youth sports are:
- 90 percent less likely to become obese.
- Score 40 percent higher on standardized tests.
- 15 percent less likely to experience depression.
- Less likely to take up smoking, drinking, or pregnancy, and less likely to use illicit drugs.
Adults who participated in youth sports earned 8 percent more than adults who did not. They have reduced risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer and are one-third less likely to develop a disability.
Expanding Your Social Life
Coaches are essential people in their communities. The parents of the kids on your team will get to know you well. You will never have to spend long evenings and weekends alone.
Demonstrating Your Leadership Skills
Coaches have to manage diverse groups of kids. They unlock hidden talents. They help their teams get through disappointments, and they model how to act in success. Coaching skills transfer to leadership on the job.
Quality Time with Your Own Children
Volunteering as a youth coach demonstrates your love for your own children. You get to be part of their obtaining the joy of being part of a team and a lifetime of healthy habits. You can enjoy every special moment with them again and again.
Elliott Hilsinger says that the benefits of being a youth coach are generous compensation for all the hard work involved. Volunteer to coach kids, Hilsinger says, and you will create one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.