Community Sports Programs have a special place in my heart and memories. As a kid participating and as an adult playing or coaching. Special times to remember. Whether evenings on a grass field or running the hardwoods of a gym floor, each sport brought its own lessons, likes, and challenges, all in the name of fun.
This is not a lecture piece on the pros and cons of youth sports or even adult amateur sports for that matter. Just the thoughts of a grown, empty nester gentleman who has seen some things along the way that may or may not be entertaining or informative. We will see what rabbit hole I end up going down, but hopefully it will be an interesting ride.
Community Sports Programs in General
Small Towns, County Departments, Churches and Community Groups can all be sources for sports programs for children or adults. These are mostly recreation style programs with Dads or Moms as coaches for children’s teams. The group running the program will create teams from the participants, schedule games, provide play facilities and sometimes provide uniforms. Games are generally meant for exercise and fun but some groups will get involved with competitive levels which may involve travel. Cost on this level of sports is usually quite nominal. There may be equipment costs such as cleats, balls, or protective gear. It’s simple to figure out. The more equipment needed, the more cost will be involved.
There are clubs and leagues in most sports outside of the community sports arena which are specifically for competitive-level games or matches. These leagues are designed for grooming skill levels. Children and young adults in this level are hoping to become college level participants and/or beyond to the professional ranks. These leagues will bring in paid, experienced coaches who are generally ex-college or pro-level players. As you can imagine, the cost of these programs can be significant, and travel can be expansive.
How the Game is Played
My viewpoint here may be a little slanted from a coaching perspective, and you may not agree. That’s your right. I am not an expert on all sports. Most of my experience is from team sports activities, although I have participated in several individual oriented sports such as golf, tennis, and wrestling. For young children the idea should be having fun and learning new skills while having fun. We are talking the 4-6 age group where they are probably in their first experience with a team sport. At this age everything should be about fun.
You can keep score or not. It really does not matter. Some of the kids will keep score, and some are too busy playing with the clover to care. It is all about having fun. I was coaching a group of 5-year-old boys in soccer. Like most parent coaches, my son was on the team. It was their very first night game under the lights. I do not know whether they were all more excited about the lights or just getting to stay up later than usual. The game started as usual with a tightly packed group of little boys chasing a ball. Then a high-pitched voice was heard from the sideline yelling and pointing upward, “Look! There! Bugs!”
The game came to a complete standstill. All heads on the field turned upward in awe, watching the spring night moths flutter among the overhead field lights. The field was completely silent for about 20 seconds before chuckles and laughter from the parent sideline broke the silence. The game went on without further incident. I will never forget that evening as long as I live. It thoroughly demonstrates the spontaneity of children and their absolute look of wonder upon the world.
As a progression, you can expect more concepts of teamwork and emphasis on individual skill to become more prevalent with the older age groups as they get older. Good sportsmanship, effort and achieving goals should be included in the mix. As a reminder, we are speaking about recreational sports. Yes, the ultimate goal is to win. It’s sports. However, this is not the world cup, world series, super bowl or any other major competitive trophy. Recreational sports is about having fun. Those taking it way too seriously need to chill.
Coaching Kids
Coaching style is relative to the sport and the age group you are coaching. The kids become more competitive in nature as they get older. The main basics should remain the same. Teach the concepts and skills of the game as appropriate to the age group while interjecting life skills along the way. I consider teamwork, goal setting, and effort to be life skills. The super athletic will dominate the games. Those are the players I will emphasize team play, leadership and technical concepts. The lesser players will get more attention to their skill development and encouragement to improve.
As a coach in recreational sports, you may never know how a player views you. You can only see what they do on the field during games and at practice. You may only have a player for a single season and never see them again. So you must be mindful that you are working with impressionable minds. A single sentence, tone or action can leave an indelible mark on a young mind.
I had coached a particularly athletic group of 10 year olds boys and they did very well during the season. 6 of the 11 boys on that team moved up to the competitive travel team the next season. That season went by, and my wife and I had decided to move to another county with better schools. On the last day at the fields, a mother of one of the boys came up to have a conversation. I confirmed to her it was our last day there and we were moving. She had known and wanted me to know something before we left.
Her son had been given a school paper to write. He came home and discussed it with his parents, then went about writing the paper. She did not see or hear about it until after the paper was graded and returned. He had been assigned to write about the 3 most influential people in his life. His parents had assumed they would all be family members and/or God. She was correct that the first two people were Mom and Dad. She then told me that I was the third. She explained that I had taught him he could achieve anything and that nothing could ever stop him unless he quit. You never know!
Like many teachers I know, the most exciting time I experience as a coach is when one of my players has their “Light Bulb” moment. It’s the time you can actually see the switch click on in their head, and they now know exactly what to do. They become a player of the game and not just a participant. All the practices, all the talks, and all the instruction has fallen into place, and they get it. That’s what makes it all worthwhile.
I do coach kids teams still today. My own children are grown and creating their own lives. I do it for the fun, the activity, and to help others learn sports I enjoy and love. If you’re one of those types that is high strung and super competitive, I would not suggest coaching kids.
Yes, winning is important and will be to the kids, but there are many other lessons hidden between the lines that are just as, if not more, important. Don’t do it for accolades; there will not be many. Just thank you’s from parents at the end of the season. If you’re lucky, you might have an older kid come up to you and say “Remember Me!” Usually not, because they will have changed so much. But get to reminisce, and they might say thank you. That’s as good as it gets, and that’s absolutely perfect.
It’s All About Fun
Community Sports Programs can be an intricate piece of a thriving community. Bringing common interests together in a social gathering which can be shared with neighbors and friends. Meet new people within the community. This can be a great way to promote your business. No matter your level or age, there are multiple opportunities to participate in the fun and activity. Don’t be a stranger. Get involved. Community Sports Programs make life better for all. Let’s Play!
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