“Find your sweet spot.”

“Do something with purpose.”

“Be authentic.”

These are all popular mantras we hear today in regards to vocations. Working in a space that utilizes your skill sets, matches your passions, and meets your financial needs is clearly valued.

Chances are, if you are reading this, then being involved in the world of youth sports ranks high on your list of interests.

But, do you have what it takes to be a Certified Sports Family Coach?

Here are five experiential qualities that would be advantageous if you have aspirations of stepping into this role.

Also, there is one philosophical quality that is essential for success as a Sports Family Coach.

As you take a closer look at these, understand that having any of the five experiential qualities is helpful but, it is not necessary to possess all of them. It’s likely that we are all a combination of any of these five.

1) Be An Athlete at Some Level

Have you ever:

• Pushed your body past the limits that existed only in your mind?
• Experienced the intense apprehension that comes before a competition?
• Exhilarated in a personal best?
• Felt the frustration of a questionable call by an official?
• Trained hard in the heat of the day?
• Celebrated with team members to a surprise win?

If you currently are an athlete or you have spent time as one in the past; you intimately appreciate the emotions that go with all of these scenarios.

As a result, having empathy for the athletes in your audience will just come more naturally and will certainly be more genuine.

2) To Be a Parent of an Athlete

You probably have heard it said that “the knowing is in the doing.”

This is surely the case with parenting an athlete. And if you have experienced this role with more than one of your children, then you know it can vary – quite a bit – from one personality to the next.

In many cases, it takes looking back and reflecting upon a season to see that your own ego and emotions can end up getting in the way.

This realization will help you to guide other parents into the more productive space of being supportive rather than acting as an agent to their young athlete.

3) To Be a Coach to Young Athletes

Have you ever had the experience of rehearsing something in your head, only to struggle with saying it in such a way that it is positively understood?

If you have spent any amount of time as a coach, then the probability is high that this has happened to you.

Not only can it be a challenge to communicate in a way that young athletes can understand, but appropriately handling the frustration when they don’t, takes practice.

A seasoned coach will also have a more realistic expectation of how long it can take an athlete to learn a new skill set.

4) To Be a Speaker

For most of the population, standing in front of a group of people and having to communicate a message ranks up there with death. Although that sounds quite dramatic, fear of public speaking is a real threat for many of us.

If this is a comfortable space for you, or it is something that you get energized by, then you will certainly have an advantage as a Sports Family Coach.

Knowing how to read an audience and inspire them to engage in the process is a valuable tool.

5) To Be an Entrepreneur

If you have been responsible for your own business, then you have had to work on skills that aren’t always necessary when working for an employer. Things like these become paramount to your success:

• Understanding self-motivation
• Strategies for increasing sales
• Marketing efficiently and to the right audience for your products or services
• Taking the initiative in many aspects of building your business
• Best tips for promoting your business

You basically learn the equivalent of a college degree when you are in business for yourself. Most of the time, the entrepreneurial principles can be applied across the board of many professions.

One Indispensable Quality

A Sports-Family Coach doesn’t just guide families through a season; they guide them through the entire youth sports journey.

To accomplish this, he must have the ability to see the sports experience in a larger context.

Approaching all aspects of sports from this philosophical mindset governs responses and decisions about things like performance slumps, drops in motivation, differences with parents and/or an athlete’s desire to quit.

What are some of the goals a Sport-Family Coach should be aiming for if an athlete’s pilgrimage through life is always kept in the forefront?

Here are some goals worthy of being sought after:

• Develop lasting and quality relationships
• Cultivate trustworthiness
• Confidently know who they are
• Become good at something
• Learn to make independent decisions
• Face challenges and stressful situations with courage

Final Thoughts

Exploring the role of a Sports Family Coach requires an honest assessment of your prior experiences, learned skill sets, and specific philosophies toward sports participation.

Growing Champions For Life is dedicated to not only the improvement of specific athletes but also to the development of the individuals that can empower and equip the whole team:

• Coaches
• Parents
• Athletes
• Administrators

If you feel called to join the ranks of a select few individuals who aspire to be Certified Sports Family Coaches, please fill out this form: