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in Blog on March 6, 2023 by Jennifer Carroll

Yes, YOU Can Coach Youth Sports!

If you’ve ever registered your child for sports, you’ve probably been confronted with this question: Are you willing to coach your child’s team? 

You may think that you don’t have the skills, experience or time to fill the role. I completely understand. However, if Ted Lasso has taught us anything, it’s that you don’t need to be an expert – you just need to have heart.

Coaching youth sports takes less time, effort and skill than you think.

Youth sports need more moms on the field. Here’s why…

Even though girls have more opportunities to play sports than ever before, their participation drops sharply around the age of nine. By the time girls reach the age of 14, they quit sports at more than twice the rate of boys.

Getting girls into the game sets them up for a lifetime of success. Studies have shown that girls who play sports attain higher levels of education, are healthier mentally and physically, and even earn higher wages as adults.

Our girls (and boys) need positive role models. They need grown-ups who are willing to invest their time to make sports fun. Whether or not a child decides to pursue sports at a more competitive level, the skills they learn in little league lay a foundation for a lifetime of physical activity.

You don’t need to be a skilled athlete.

The best coaches are not necessarily former D1 athletes or even former high school players, they are patient teachers. 

Depending on your child’s age, you’ll likely find you don’t need to know as much as you think. This is especially true if you’re signing on as an assistant.

Most leagues provide everything you need – practice plans, coaching clinics, and other instructional materials. Many times all of the information is available online. 

Youtube is also a great resource for easy games, age-appropriate drills and skill development.

Coaching takes less time than you might imagine.

Coaching does take some time out of your week and so if you are in a season of life where you just can’t add one more thing to your plate, I get that.

However, if you’re already planning to be the one to drive your kid to and from practices and games, there’s not much of an additional time commitment to coach. 

You can knock out a practice plan in under 30 minutes. Many leagues have even automated parent communication, so that’s one less thing for you to do. Plus, coaching usually takes place at times when it is less likely to interfere with work.

If you’re “just there to have fun,” you’re an ideal coach.

Research has proven time and time again that the #1 reason kids play sports is to have fun with their friends. Winning didn’t even make the top ten.

Keeping the focus on fun is key to a successful season for you and your players. If you were born without a single competitive bone in your body, it’s your time to shine!

Coaches who help their team develop character and social skills alongside their athletic abilities are ultimately the biggest winners. 

And if you’re a mom, you’ve got all the skills you need.

As a mom, you’ve been building a coaching resume for years, you just didn’t know it.

Through potty training, you’ve shown incredible determination.
Sibling rivalry has made you the ultimate expert in team dynamics. 
You’ve displayed grit in the face of a stomach bug. 
Organizational skills? You keep track of all 47 of the elementary school’s dress-up days.
You’ve developed patience as your child has figured out zippers.
You are not easily intimidated…hello science projects and fractions. 
You have a keen eye for what motivates your child. (Hint…it’s snacks and Bluey.)
Toddler temper tantrums are no match for your perseverance.
You folded 16 loads of laundry with a (mostly) positive attitude.
Multitasking? That’s your specialty.
 

As it turns out, you already have all the traits of a great coach. So put on your warm-up suit and slap on a pair of aviators: You’re a mom. You’ll make this job look easy.

For me, success is not about the wins and losses. It’s about helping these young fellas be the best versions of themselves on and off the field.

Ted Lasso

Photo by Ben Hershey on Unsplash

Related

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: big kids, preschoolers

About Jennifer Carroll

Jennifer is a mom to four-year-old twins and a very large Weimaraner. Before kids, she worked in television and advertising. She paused her career to be a stay-at-home mom only to discover she loved freelance writing. You’ll find her family camping, chasing cows or at the lake on weekends. Follow their adventures at @twinningtheweekend.

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We appreciate this community so much - and we're not slowing down! Thanks for being here, friends. Talk to you Tuesday!

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Happy Friday! It's time for our monthly sponsor ro Happy Friday! It's time for our monthly sponsor roundup, where we thank our partners and remind you of their great deals. For our unique promo codes and links, just tap our saved "Sponsors" highlight or search the brand name on our website. Remember, when you check out our sponsors and use our links + codes, it helps support our show. Thank you!

We also collect ALL our active promo codes in our email newsletter - which is full of our latest episodes and blog posts, personal updates, community news, and more. Tap on this image at the link in our bio to subscribe today.

Shoutout to our NEW partner:
💰 @fearlessfinance ($50 off your 1st meeting!)

And welcome back . . .
⭐ @everyplate (meal kits for just $1.49 per meal!) 
⭐ @scholasticinc (books for kids of all ages!)
⭐️ @caraway_home (10% off cookware!)
⭐ @caredotcom (local, background-checked care!) 
⭐ @prepdish (2 weeks of free meal plans!)
⭐ @minted (art, bags, gifts & more!)
⭐ @chatbooks (the easiest photo books ever!)
⭐ @fabletics (2 workout bottoms for $24!)
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⭐️ @theessentialcalendar (10% off calendars!)
⭐️ @hiyahealth (50% off 1st order!)
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It can *seem* like everybody has travel plans comi It can *seem* like everybody has travel plans coming up for Spring Break, but we know that every single year, just as many families aren't going anywhere - and that's OK, too!

This week on the blog @emilyeroark offers suggestions for mixing up your same ol' same ol' when kids are off for Spring Break. Check out the post by clicking this image at the link in our bio!

#stayathomemom #springbreakathome #staycationideas #stayathomeparent #toddlermom #preschoolmom #momofthree #springbreak2023 #spring #springbreakathome #kidsactivities
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Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast#podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast#podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
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Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
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Check out Sandy’s ideas for themed Easter baskets by clicking this image at the link in our bio - she's got over 35 different gift ideas listed!

#easter2023 #easterbasketfillers #eastergiftideas #themedeasterbasket #giftsfortoddlers #giftsforpreschoolers #giftsfortweens #giftsforkids #eastergiftguide #eastertips #easterwithkids
"As a mom you’ve been building a youth sports co "As a mom you’ve been building a youth sports coaching resume for years," writes @twinningtheweekend on the blog this week, "You just didn’t know it."

🥎  Through potty training, you’ve shown incredible determination.
⚽  Sibling rivalry has made you the ultimate expert in team dynamics. 
🏀  You’ve displayed grit in the face of a stomach bug. 
🏐  Organizational skills? You keep track of all 47 of the elementary school’s dress-up days.
🥎  You’ve developed patience as your child has figured out zippers.
⚽  You are not easily intimated…hello science projects and fractions. 
🏀  You have a keen eye for what motivates your child. (Hint…it’s snacks and Bluey.)
🏐  Toddler temper tantrums are no match for your perseverance.
🥎  You folded 16 loads of laundry with a (mostly) positive attitude.
⚽  Multitasking? That’s your specialty. 

Raise your hand if you've coached a youth sports team as a mom! And click this image at the link in our bio to read Jennifer's tips for making it less time-consuming and stressful than you might think!

#youthsports #sportsmom #littleleague #littleleaguemom #girlsinsports #littleleaguemom #soccermom #baseballmom #coachmom
New episode! Worrying as a mom is a universal exp New episode!

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Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
This week's podcast episode (out Tuesday!) is abou This week's podcast episode (out Tuesday!) is about worry. The worries we have in common, the ones that start to interfere with our daily lives and need addressing, the really specific ones and the more general and exisential ones. One thing we both know about worries is that silence fuels their festering.

If you're worried about something right now, feel free to share. Maybe someone else can offer a "oh, me too!" or send a virtual hug. Maybe you can do the same for someone else. And if your worries feel too tender to share specifically, feel free to just drop a 🙋‍♀️ and know you're not alone.
One productivity trap I (Sarah) fall into is to ge One productivity trap I (Sarah) fall into is to get big bursts of task-energy and work way ahead on "adulting" stuff…and then to mentally check out for a few weeks. This was really coming back to bite me when it came to things related to the kids and school, so I thought I’d share the small tweak that helped me stress less in the lead-up to big events.

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It’s completely changed the way I feel as Big Events get closer. Do we still scramble? 100%. But I don’t feel as gobsmacked by the reality-check that there’s still more to do when I felt as though I’d already done it all.

Are you curious about how I use Todoist to reduce overwhelm? Leave a comment and I’ll do my best to answer.

And if you’ve been meaning to try Todoist Pro, you’re in luck! Click this image at the link in our bio to get 2 months of PRO for free!

#affiliate #todoistpartner
It’s normal to feel worried as a mom. It’s unp It’s normal to feel worried as a mom. It’s unpleasant for sure, and when worries go unchecked they can dominate your life in ways that are worth addressing. But even when you’re not clinically anxious, freaking out or fixating on something having to do with your child is a universal experience.

In our “Things We Shouldn’t Have Freaked Out About” series, we look at motherhood worries with the benefit of hindsight. We share what we fretted over, how it turned out, and whether we might have been able to dial back the worry and enjoyed the journey a bit more.

If you haven't listened to these episodes already and you're feeling worried right now, we highly recommend queuing them up. We've been there, and it mostly turned out okay. Plus, next week on the podcast we're talking more about the things moms worry about - some of the universal themes that come up again and again in our community. 

Click this image the link in our bio and you can see all five of these TWSHFOA (how’s that for an acronym!) episodes on one handy page. Or just search "freak out" in the episode list wherever you get your podcasts.
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Hear for yourself why The Mom Hour podcast is stil Hear for yourself why The Mom Hour podcast is still going strong after eight years, 644 episodes, and more than 15 Million listens! Click the subscribe links in our bio or ask your smart speaker to "play the latest episode of The Mom Hour podcast".

New episodes release every Tuesday and alternating Sundays all year round. Our archives have conversations about every stage of parenting from before-baby through launching young adults - and every aspect of motherhood, too.

#podcast #podcastformoms #mompodcast #parentingpodcast #mommypodcast #mamapodcast #womenpodcasters #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts #themomhour #motherhood
Do we call it a birthday or an anniversary? A podv Do we call it a birthday or an anniversary? A podversary? Birthcast? No matter how you slice it, The Mom Hour turns EIGHT years old on March 19!

Want to totally make our day? Leave a comment that tells us - in life milestones - how long you've been listening (i.e., "the baby I was pregnant with when I found you guys is now in kindergarten" OR "I have a middle schooler who was in preschool when I started listening" OR "I was on leave with my first when I discovered the podcast; now I have four kids!")

We appreciate this community so much - and we're not slowing down! Thanks for being here, friends. Talk to you Tuesday!

-M &S
Happy Friday! It's time for our monthly sponsor ro Happy Friday! It's time for our monthly sponsor roundup, where we thank our partners and remind you of their great deals. For our unique promo codes and links, just tap our saved "Sponsors" highlight or search the brand name on our website. Remember, when you check out our sponsors and use our links + codes, it helps support our show. Thank you!

We also collect ALL our active promo codes in our email newsletter - which is full of our latest episodes and blog posts, personal updates, community news, and more. Tap on this image at the link in our bio to subscribe today.

Shoutout to our NEW partner:
💰 @fearlessfinance ($50 off your 1st meeting!)

And welcome back . . .
⭐ @everyplate (meal kits for just $1.49 per meal!) 
⭐ @scholasticinc (books for kids of all ages!)
⭐️ @caraway_home (10% off cookware!)
⭐ @caredotcom (local, background-checked care!) 
⭐ @prepdish (2 weeks of free meal plans!)
⭐ @minted (art, bags, gifts & more!)
⭐ @chatbooks (the easiest photo books ever!)
⭐ @fabletics (2 workout bottoms for $24!)
⭐ @todoistofficial (2 mo. free of Todoist Pro!)
⭐️ @theessentialcalendar (10% off calendars!)
⭐️ @hiyahealth (50% off 1st order!)
⭐️ @kiwico_inc (50% off your 1st mo!)
⭐️ @athleticgreens (1yr of Vit.D + 5 travel packs!)
⭐️ @vionicshoes (free shipping on comfy shoes!)
It can *seem* like everybody has travel plans comi It can *seem* like everybody has travel plans coming up for Spring Break, but we know that every single year, just as many families aren't going anywhere - and that's OK, too!

This week on the blog @emilyeroark offers suggestions for mixing up your same ol' same ol' when kids are off for Spring Break. Check out the post by clicking this image at the link in our bio!

#stayathomemom #springbreakathome #staycationideas #stayathomeparent #toddlermom #preschoolmom #momofthree #springbreak2023 #spring #springbreakathome #kidsactivities
New episode! Bowling. Bonfires. The mall (no, rea New episode!

Bowling. Bonfires. The mall (no, really.) And board games (maybe?). What's fun for our families right now looks quite different than it did years ago, so today Meagan and Sarah revisit an oft-discussed hot topic on The Mom Hour: family "fun." We share several ideas for ACTUALLY FUN family activities that work for our current seasons, as well as some gripes about things that feel like they should be fun but aren't. Join us!

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast#podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast#podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
New episode! It isn't always easy to appreciate t New episode!

It isn't always easy to appreciate the mundane tasks of our daily lives, or to see the glass half-full when something goes awry. Inspired by yet another social media trend that had us scratching our heads at first (and then reflecting in spite of our forty-something selves), today Meagan and Sarah talk about situations from our own lives where we romanticized the hard stuff to get by.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
If you fill Easter baskets for your kids, do you g If you fill Easter baskets for your kids, do you give them a theme? On the blog this week @hopefulsmiles makes a case for themed Easter baskets helping to simplify shopping, avoid clutter, and stay on budget.

Check out Sandy’s ideas for themed Easter baskets by clicking this image at the link in our bio - she's got over 35 different gift ideas listed!

#easter2023 #easterbasketfillers #eastergiftideas #themedeasterbasket #giftsfortoddlers #giftsforpreschoolers #giftsfortweens #giftsforkids #eastergiftguide #eastertips #easterwithkids
"As a mom you’ve been building a youth sports co "As a mom you’ve been building a youth sports coaching resume for years," writes @twinningtheweekend on the blog this week, "You just didn’t know it."

🥎  Through potty training, you’ve shown incredible determination.
⚽  Sibling rivalry has made you the ultimate expert in team dynamics. 
🏀  You’ve displayed grit in the face of a stomach bug. 
🏐  Organizational skills? You keep track of all 47 of the elementary school’s dress-up days.
🥎  You’ve developed patience as your child has figured out zippers.
⚽  You are not easily intimated…hello science projects and fractions. 
🏀  You have a keen eye for what motivates your child. (Hint…it’s snacks and Bluey.)
🏐  Toddler temper tantrums are no match for your perseverance.
🥎  You folded 16 loads of laundry with a (mostly) positive attitude.
⚽  Multitasking? That’s your specialty. 

Raise your hand if you've coached a youth sports team as a mom! And click this image at the link in our bio to read Jennifer's tips for making it less time-consuming and stressful than you might think!

#youthsports #sportsmom #littleleague #littleleaguemom #girlsinsports #littleleaguemom #soccermom #baseballmom #coachmom
New episode! Worrying as a mom is a universal exp New episode!

Worrying as a mom is a universal experience (and, spoiler alert: it never REALLY goes away). Today Meagan and Sarah look back over the years on the worries that surface most often in our community. Going by the questions we get from listeners, moms worry a lot about safety (our kids', our own, the state of the world); and we also worry about WORRY (are we worried about the "right" things? is our worry creating anxiety in our kids?). Join us as we revisit these questions and more with that well-worn reminder: it's (probably) all going to be okay.

Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts, or click this image at the link in our bio!

#themomhour #motherhood #mompodcast #podcastsformoms #parenting #parentingpodcast #podcastlove #trypod #podcastersofinstagram #shepodcasts
This week's podcast episode (out Tuesday!) is abou This week's podcast episode (out Tuesday!) is about worry. The worries we have in common, the ones that start to interfere with our daily lives and need addressing, the really specific ones and the more general and exisential ones. One thing we both know about worries is that silence fuels their festering.

If you're worried about something right now, feel free to share. Maybe someone else can offer a "oh, me too!" or send a virtual hug. Maybe you can do the same for someone else. And if your worries feel too tender to share specifically, feel free to just drop a 🙋‍♀️ and know you're not alone.

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