Coaching Youth Sports

[Lisa Davis]

Has anyone here ever coached youth sports of any kind?  I don't have children, but I volunteer for a few local organizations and have been encouraged to coach not one, but two, sports teams.  They are different seasons, so it wouldn't be too much work or time for me, but here's the real problem.  The first sport was one that I was heavily involved in during my youth and was quite successful.  The other sport I like, but I have not competed or played other than for fun with friends.  Is it possible to maybe learn the ins and outs of the league and this sport and still contribute?  Both coaching positions are at an early middle school level, so no big results are expected of me.  Even worse, if I don't take the position, the one sport may be axed for good.

 

[Poser]

As a teacher, we were given "mandatory" opportunities in school to coach students in a certain sport. In my case, I have coached in table tennis for one year. I really tried to learn to love the sport and comprehend the play, types of service, spins, etc. It was very difficult for me because my focus was really in teaching, and I feel like this sports coaching interferes everything. Later, I was able to manage everything.

So, going back to the coaching, I find it challenging to coach players whom I know that they're already "pros" in their fields. In my case, my players have already gone through national competitions, and even brought a bronze medal in honor of our school. It's kind of awkward to give strategies to them when in fact they know what to do. But I admire how respectful some players could be, in the sense that they're not making me feel as if I am a newbie to the sport, and that I do not have the right to coach them. They do not invalidate my thoughts toward them. They make me feel that they need my advice. And so far, I feel like I have performed 65% of my duties as a table tennis coach for a year.

Sad to say, I'm not coaching that sport anymore.