Coaching Season Complete

My 6 year old daughter E and 5 year old son C started to help coach some younger kids in soccer. They help in the soccer camp they attended when they were much younger. C is still around the same age as the older kids in that camp, but he has been around the block and wanted to help out for the season when he subbed for E since she got sick one weekend. Here they were at the end of the first season with a lot of assists (get it?) to show for it.

One of the things I didn’t want them to do was to goof off. Some weeks they were really great at making sure they were paying attention to the kids that needed help. They were also helpful in setting up different activities and getting people to participate. The part where they needed some reminders were when they got really revved up and needed to calm down after an activity ended (but that’s normal for young kids).

C has recently been bouncing the soccer balls like a basketball. I think the coach hates seeing that and honestly I don't like it either because the other kids do the same thing. As a coach, you are a role model and that's something that both of my kids are learning about. If they don't know what to do I remind them that they should ask themselves who can they help. It's important as a coach to realize that that is the one goal and something that you need to constantly be looking out for.

Overall, it was a successful coaching season, and I'm really proud of them for completing it. It was really nerve-racking for both my kids to go through it and it was a lot of growth that happened along the way I think this experience will help them in the future, even if they don't realize it because it helps build some self-confidence and making sure that you can operate as an expert in something that you are passionate about. I want them to take these opportunities and step up to the plate and hopefully they continue to enjoy coaching and teaching others.