Volunteer Coach Rehab 

Oops, I did it again. I agreed to coach one of my kids’ sports. I had sworn it off several years ago after two seasons with my older daughters, but I couldn’t resist my little one’s request. So, I agreed. But … this time, I had an entirely new outlook on it. Three-plus years after co-founding ILTWYP, I was going to approach this SOO dramatically different. The first two teams I coached were all about the W. Yes, winning was the only goal (and spending time with my kids). Truly. This is embarrassing to say now, but winning was my numero uno, my jam, my reason for coaching. Yes, I wanted players to improve … duh, how else would we win?! Flash forward to today, and I have a completely different mindset and approach.

So, I decided to document my experience, the lessons I learned, what worked, what didn’t, and most importantly, how my new growth mindset changed the experience.

Journal Entry #2 – Team Culture

Since this season was going to be different, I wanted to have intention. I made a point to not let things happen, but to create the team culture with a purpose. So the first thing I did was call a parent meeting and schedule a mini-practice.

Journal Entry #1 – Other Coaches’ Advice

The first thing I did … panicked and reached out for help from all of my coaching friends. Slightly embarrassing, yes, but I emailed coaches of past, present, and those whom I admire, many of whom are very successful and seasoned. This turned out to be a great exercise and very helpful, particularly to set the tone and culture for my team. I would periodically re-read these great words of wisdom throughout the season.