Youth sports coaches have an obligation to prioritize character development along with the teaching of the sport.

Primary Responsibility of a Coach

Coaches often rank among the most influential adults that young people interact with. A coach’s perceived knowledge and experience with the sport they love naturally garners respect and high esteem.

This kinship bestows a responsibility on youth coaches far beyond game strategy and the X’s and O’s.  In addition to skill development, coaches are obligated to model values that influence the person, not just the player.  In other words, their primary commitment is to coach the whole athlete, not just the sport.

Conflict of Interests in a Win-First Culture

Kids participating in youth sports are typically between the ages of 5 and 18.  These years encompass early instructional programs all the way through higher-level high school athletics.

At the recreational level, attending to an athlete’s physical or emotional needs is relatively straight-forward.  The goal is fun, so a coach can easily divert time and energy away from the field to focus on the individual.

In higher-level competition, however, coaches often encounter conflicts of interest in developing both the player and the individual.  Here, coaches are incentivized to develop skills, create pathways for scholarships, provide exposure to scouts, and in short, to WIN.  Parents demand these outcomes given the thousands of dollars they invest to give their kids a leg up.  This type of win-first environment emphasizes on-the-field achievement over the underlying physical and emotional needs of maturing youth.

Performance Expectations & Conditional Behavior

It’s common in these cultures for coaches to impose expectations specifically geared toward performance and winning.  When those expectations are met, i.e., the athlete scores their points, drives in their runs, and brings home the trophy, they receive praise and are rewarded for executing the plan.

But when expectations on the field are not met, the pressure rises.  Coaches push their athletes harder to live up to their end of the bargain.  Kids discover that praise and recognition are conditional on their success, not a function of effort or process.  Failure on the field can even result in public embarrassment and physical consequences, seen as motivators to improve performance.

Athlete-First Cultures

Regardless of age or competitive level, no youth athlete is ever a finished product, on or off the field.  They will always be influenced by the words and actions of their coaches.

To make a positive impact, coaches should afford the time and patience needed for athletes to build confidence and develop personal identity.

In an athlete-first culture, failure and unmet expectations are viewed as teaching opportunities rather than justification to belittle.  Support and investment does not fluctuate based on performance; rather, remains unconditional regardless of outcomes.  This freedom allows athletes to perform without fear and grow into their individual potential.  Without it, they can be left unfulfilled, burned out, and lacking the intrinsic motivation needed to succeed over the long-term.

Cultures are Not Mutually Exclusive

Cultures centered on winning and personal development do not have to be mutually exclusive.  Investing in both requires perspective with intentional focus on preparation, patience, communication and consistency to nurture both responsibilities simultaneously.

All parties play a role in this process.  Let’s take on the challenge of influencing both aspects of development to justify the respect and esteem placed on coaches by young athletes.