Here's to the Coaches
Youth Sports Relies on Volunteer Coaches; Consider Becoming One
The life of a high school coach is exhausting to even type out. At 5 a.m., they will themselves out of bed, shower, grab whatever coffee they can to wake up and get to the school to open the gym. It may not be their sport or team that has to practice in the morning, but gym time is at a premium between various sports, for both girls and boys teams, so someone has to be there to open it up, set up the hoops, mats, etc. and turn on the lights. Eventually, school begins and they have to go to their other job; coaching pays little in itself and a full time job elsewhere is all but necessary. In many cases, it’s as a teacher in the same school, but not always. They put in the 8 hours on the job and then return after school for what is likely a practice or a game. When that is over, often late into the night, they can finally go home, go to bed and get ready to do it all again the next day. This occurs at least five days a week through the entire season. But the work doesn’t end there. Off season and weekends there are camps, fundraisers, off season programs, youth clinics/programs and a host of other responsibilities to consider.
Coaches don’t do it for the money, that’s for sure. The average salary as a coach is exceptionally low, which is why they make most of their wages doing different jobs that pay the bills. They do it for the gratification of helping shape the next generations, watching these young kids grow from children to young men and women and eventually adults. They do it to offer something in a person’s life that they will remember forever, whether its a particular win, engaging with friends that will eventually be long forgotten, or if they are lucky, providing that one fleeting moment of joy that can only be captured through overcoming a huge obstacle and attaining a victory they will remember forever.
Youth programs are reliant on volunteers, especially in coaching. They operate largely on a cost basis, so there is little money to be made coaching, if any. Usually, one of the parents with an athletic background steps up to lead, but not always. Whether it’s baseball, soccer, basketball, hockey, volleyball, track or some other sport, the organization needs volunteers to organize, strucure, teach and provide guidance to these kids. Quite often it goes unheeded.
A few years ago, as my son began to be interested in sports, I decided to help be a coach for an in-house basketball team1. I had heard the horror stories about abusive parents, excessive time requirements, out of pocket expenses and the whole nine yards. I can attest, all those things are minor and insignificant, if they happen at all. Most parents I met were supportive, most other coaches were in the same boat I was, and most out of pocket expenses were entirely optional and voluntary. The following year, as my son wanted to move into the more competitive traveling league, I thought I would sit back and spectate. It wasn’t until I got a call from the local association saying that they could not find a coach and based on my past (successful) experience coaching in house, they were hoping I would volunteer for the job. I didn’t know what to expect but said OK.
It was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had. I was coaching the “B” team (which was not as good as the “A” team; in fact, most of the kids had never played traveling before and a few had never played organized sports before). The first practice was an uncoordinated, unorganized, unathletic mess. We played in our first tournament and lost badly. However, each week we taught new skills, each week they improved as a team and each week every player developed. The following March, at the end of the season tournament, we ended up winning the State Championship at our level. Seeing that much work and effort pay off for them was worth every minute I spent with them. Now every time I bump into any of the kids or the parents around town, I’m just known as “coach” even though I tell them they don’t have to call me that.2 This last summer, I decided to help coach my son’s other team (this one was in house baseball) and had a great time doing it. The kids are wonderful, the parents genuinely supportive and pleasant, the other coaches are fun to chat with and seeing how these programs work and rely on volunteers is very enlightening.
Both the parents and kids want me to coach basketball again, and seeing their faces, and knowing how much I enjoy it, I couldn’t help but say yes, even though it would be much easier and relaxing just to let someone else do it.
I want to encourage all of you reading this to get involved in volunteering for youth sports. Be a coach. Become a ref or ump. Volunteer with the organization(s) for concessions or tickets or whatever. Without your help and assistance, many of these programs wither. You will enjoy it, I assure you. And the kids will remember it, always. That in itself is worth it.
PurpleAmerica’s Recommended Stories
Growing up, my parents were divorced and my father had moved away, so the closest I came to a father figure were my coaches and teachers. As a kid in that position, you look up to them as the kind of person you want to be, and as the example of the way you want to teach the next generation.
In 2004, my high school basketball coach passed away. I had graduated a decade earlier with one of his daughters, and played basketball against his son, Lance, in high school during summer open gyms. When the whole city showed up for his funeral, it was a fitting tribute to a great guy and a true friend.
What would happen next though could only be described as magical. It was so remarkable, both Sports Illustrated and ESPN would comment on it. If you really want a tearjerker of a story, here is the Sports Illustrated article. I highly recommend it.3
https://vault.si.com/vault/2006/04/03/its-a-wonderful-life-story
Without giving too much of the story away, it contains this passage, which sums up much of the the message I want to get across:
In 2018, the Wisconsin SportsNet named it the #5 moment in Wisconsin State High School Basketball History. I still think its the best, nothing else comes close.
https://www.wissports.net/news_article/show/884498
Someone in Hollywood— please make this into a movie.
PurpleAmerica’s Obscure Fact of the Day
Obviously, different sports and different areas pay different coaches different amounts. It should come as no surprise that the two sports with the highest paid high school coaches are Football and Basketball, as those generate the most revenue for the schools via tickets and concessions.
Nonetheless, the average wage for a high school coach in any sport is only $16.41 an hour, barely above minimum wage.
PurpleAmerica’s Cultural Corner
Coach movies seldom stray from formula. You have a ragtag bunch of individual, headstrong, undisciplined players. A new coach comes in to break them down and then build them back up together as a team. There are obstacles along the way, usually parents or social issues. But in the end, they end up persevering and winning some championship. It never fails, like clockwork.
The template film for this formula is “Hoosiers.”
What other films follow the formula?
Coach Carter
The Way Back
Glory Road
Blue Chips
If you think it’s just Basketball, it’s not.
Friday Night Lights
We Are Marshall
Remember the Titans
Wildcats
Miracle (Yes, even a hockey film follows the formula).
Of course, I can’t mention Miracle without posting the single greatest coaching speech ever in a film.
PurpleAmerica’s Final Word on the Subject
We’re going to give it to probably the greatest coach (at least one of the most quotable ones) ever, Vince Lombardi.
Consider inspiring the leaders of tomorrow; become a coach today.
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Footnotes and Fun Stuff
A distinction needs to be made between “in house” and “traveling” leagues. In house teams are usually town specific. So if you have a high school sports program, and all of the teams in a youth league eventually feed into that town’s high school, you are playing “in house.” If you are traveling to different towns to play in leagues or tournaments, you are a part of a “traveling” league. Traveling leagues are much more competitive and the kids in them tend to be more serious about going forward in the sport as they age, instead of just as a fun time or hobby.
I do smile everytime though. Being known as “coach” is a title that brings me immense joy.
I pull it out time to time to re-read. Everytime I do, I start bawling. R.I.P. Steve.