I was an assistant coach for my son’s flag football team this past fall. This was the second season in a row that a good friend of mine asked if I’d help him coach, and I agreed. Our sons are friends who enjoy playing together, and I think both of us dads enjoy the company of each other and our families.

Coaching is a team sport

When baseball season rolls around, I do the same thing with two other friends whose kids are friends with our kids. But there have been seasons that I’ve coached my kids’ teams without any help, and I’ve witnessed other parent-coaches do the same. Those seasons I wished I had help. 

I enjoy coaching and teaching the kids, so unless I have a major ongoing conflict, you can count me in. I wasn’t always that way, though. When our oldest child began playing sports almost 10 years ago, I just signed her up and showed up to watch. I wanted no part of coaching.

The more the merrier

I couldn’t imagine being responsible for a group of 4-year-old kids running around chasing a ball. Then one season I was “drafted.” There weren’t enough parent volunteers, so the YMCA director asked me, and I agreed. Since then, I’ve coached or helped coach just about every team my kids have played on.

I’ve learned through my experiences that coaching kids is pretty fun, and it is also very needed. Some of the best experiences, for the kids and parents, have been when we’ve had multiple parents volunteer to coach or help out in some way. I wish every season was like that, and I wish every parent that is able to volunteer would do so.

Here are 5 reasons you should volunteer to coach

1.     You get to spend that much more time with your kids. We all have busy schedules, so the time with our kids is limited. When you volunteer with your kids’ teams you basically schedule in more time with them. It might not be one-on-one time, but it will be memorable time for you both.

2.     Your help is needed. Having a group of 10-plus kids together doing anything is challenging. Whoever volunteers to be the head coach can use all the help he/she can get. I’m not always able to make it to games, and it is good to know that somebody is there to step up for you.

3.     You have a chance to impact kids. I first realized the impact you can have by coaching kids when a YMCA director shared with me the fact that years from now the kids I coach today will still view me as their coach. They will remember the time we had together enjoying sports. By volunteering, you could be the coach, father-figure or mentor a kid needs to set him on the right course in life.

4.     You will grow great relationships. I’ve met some pretty good people through volunteering to coach and grown some relationships deeper. Coaching has benefits for the kids as well as the coaches. 

5.     Your kids will appreciate it. Much like I do today, my dad coached me and my brother’s teams until we were teenagers. At the time it was all fun and games for me. But reflecting on it today and going through it from the parent/coach perspective makes me appreciate the sacrifice he made all those years and the time we spent.

What are some other benefits to volunteering to coach your kids teams?