My kids coach is a former college player and now a parent. It is a great mix and he is awesome.

Coaching youth sports is hard. You need to have the right attitude and approach which most adults don't have. Also, most adults who may have these traits are too busy with work or family.

I made that journey.

Kids started playing around 8-9 years old. Didn't like their rec coach, so I volunteered. Kids loved the sport and were excelling well beyond my skill level to teach, so they joined travel after another year or so.

I continued to coach rec for a few years as I enjoyed coaching. Got tired of the lack of commitment and dedication at that level and wanted to teach more advanced techniques and concepts, so I got my coaching education and started coaching lower level travel and rec+ equivalent teams.

Still have a regular job full time, so I generally only take one team a year. I usually prefer the 2nd team as there is less drama and it's nice to be able to promote (and demote) kids to their appropriate level at the end of the year. Been doing it for over a decade and then some.

Most local travel coaches that aren't coaching top teams are worthless former athletes that didn't make it past college of maybe a year abroad in a random no name league. They know the game, like it, got certified, and now supplement they're income coaching mediocre teams they don't really develop. Most coaching licenses are meaningless until about a C license. It just means you've taken online classes and done in person training. It's stupid and there's are plenty of rec volunteer coaches who are 10x better than most current travel coaches.

Most that become travel coaches don't last, though. The parents are more insane and the look behind the money grab from clubs kind of ruins it for most parents that try it.

Anonymous wrote:Curious about dedicated parent volunteers who have progressed successfully to coaching a Travel team?

It seems that some coaches, although limited in soccer background have done better than “experienced” coaches at progressing with their kids. Getting licenses, coaches training, etc.

I seem to see much more professionalism out of this group than I do out of the 20 somethings who are experiencing soccer players, but generally new to coaching.

I am in the middle of this process at U11. I coached rec for 4 years, then moved on to coaching in travel for 3 years. I stopped for this year. Parents of kids have a lot more experience in dealing with younger players than any of the 20-30 year old coaches without children. However, being a parent of your own player in travel is easier at U8&U9... it starts to become trickier at U10 and up. I gave up coaching my own kids team at U11 and put him with another coach. It's difficult to coach your own child and be completely fair to the rest of the team.... my own child began to think he was the coach and didn't listen to any of my instructions or new ideas, I was becoming an ineffective coach for my own child. I did like the fact that I received a salary and my own kid could play travel soccer for free on top of it. (Combine those two, and you have a big motivation.) I did have to get my coaching license and I did learn a lot from better coaches. Some of the younger coaches did bring more enthusiasm and the kids responded well to some of the younger coaches. Older, parent coaches, will by default communicate with the parents better and bring more professionalism than the younger ones. I will recommend that whoever your child's coach is, is to try to listen to what they say to the players in the huddle. Try to watch their non-verbal body language also at the games where they are losing a game. What you don't want, is a 'negative coach, and tells the players "it's your fault and your have to do better." I have heard that kind of narrative to from overworked-stressed out parent travel coaches, who are visibly upset they are losing the game. That is a bad stuff and will harm the kid's love of the game. Try to find a happy -positive coach who instills a love of the game in your player. That is more important than having a parent coach or a younger coach.

Anonymous wrote:The vast majority of skills needed to be a successful youth travel sports coach have nothing to do with the specific sport (i.e. soccer). It's more about relating to kids, motivation, empathy, teamwork, communication. A parent coach could have attained these skills in any number of experiences. Middle and high school teachers often make great coaches. It's not until you reach the really elite levels of a sport at higher age groups where experience with soccer tactics and techniques come into play.

Nonsense!
You may not necessarily need a soccer coach at the very younger ages, but they sure need a soccer teacher.

Cheerleading alone is for the parents.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The vast majority of skills needed to be a successful youth travel sports coach have nothing to do with the specific sport (i.e. soccer). It's more about relating to kids, motivation, empathy, teamwork, communication. A parent coach could have attained these skills in any number of experiences. Middle and high school teachers often make great coaches. It's not until you reach the really elite levels of a sport at higher age groups where experience with soccer tactics and techniques come into play.

Agree 100%. But even for tactics and techniques at a fairly high level, a fully checked-in coach with less experience is better than a checked-out coach or a coach who doesn't know the players at all.

I would take a coach who knows nothing about soccer but cares about the kids, communicates and motivates, over an a**hole former pro player every single day.

Anonymous wrote:The vast majority of skills needed to be a successful youth travel sports coach have nothing to do with the specific sport (i.e. soccer). It's more about relating to kids, motivation, empathy, teamwork, communication. A parent coach could have attained these skills in any number of experiences. Middle and high school teachers often make great coaches. It's not until you reach the really elite levels of a sport at higher age groups where experience with soccer tactics and techniques come into play.

Agree 100%. But even for tactics and techniques at a fairly high level, a fully checked-in coach with less experience is better than a checked-out coach or a coach who doesn't know the players at all.

The vast majority of skills needed to be a successful youth travel sports coach have nothing to do with the specific sport (i.e. soccer). It's more about relating to kids, motivation, empathy, teamwork, communication. A parent coach could have attained these skills in any number of experiences. Middle and high school teachers often make great coaches. It's not until you reach the really elite levels of a sport at higher age groups where experience with soccer tactics and techniques come into play.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Likely due to most coming from rec being a parent. There is a huge difference in the coaching styles of former players who do not have children compared to coaches who do. Especially at the younger ages. Most coaches w/kids are going to do better than former players turned coaches. It will eventually flip as they get older and more competitive.

However, at the younger ages, the absolute most important thing (IMO) is to protect the player's passion to compete or get better in/at a game or activity they love, while pushing the player to consistently give the most 'effort' while practicing and playing regardless of the result. Coaches must find a way to get players to fall in love doing the drills, practices, and other things they hate doing. IMO, this is where the difference in being a parent sets these coaches apart from those that don't.

When it comes to travel sports, most young 20 something coaches are simply doing something they enjoy and genuinely don't have a vested interest other than the $5-7k they are getting paid to coach. I'll take a parent especially one w/a kid on the team over a coach w/no kids.

In the end, a parent from rec w/limited experience can easily surpass expectations simply by requiring a higher standard from the players and parents on the team simply due to the young player turned coach not being able to command or demand for that matter the attention and respect of the players and parents. When it comes down to it, parents should be as involved as much as possible until they are no longer the best option.

Very well said.

We know a parent who started as an assistant rec coach, having never played soccer (but had done other sports at a high level). Took over the team after a year or two and continued in rec, focusing on camaraderie and a positive experience. Eventually switched to NCSL, where they have since crushed it. Has been really fun to watch, and these kids have been happier playing than the high level players we know.

So the Mathematics and English teachers that aren't experts on the subjects and haven't been formally educated but bring tons of fun and play to the classroom is good enough for your kid?

Anonymous wrote:Likely due to most coming from rec being a parent. There is a huge difference in the coaching styles of former players who do not have children compared to coaches who do. Especially at the younger ages. Most coaches w/kids are going to do better than former players turned coaches. It will eventually flip as they get older and more competitive.

However, at the younger ages, the absolute most important thing (IMO) is to protect the player's passion to compete or get better in/at a game or activity they love, while pushing the player to consistently give the most 'effort' while practicing and playing regardless of the result. Coaches must find a way to get players to fall in love doing the drills, practices, and other things they hate doing. IMO, this is where the difference in being a parent sets these coaches apart from those that don't.

When it comes to travel sports, most young 20 something coaches are simply doing something they enjoy and genuinely don't have a vested interest other than the $5-7k they are getting paid to coach. I'll take a parent especially one w/a kid on the team over a coach w/no kids.

In the end, a parent from rec w/limited experience can easily surpass expectations simply by requiring a higher standard from the players and parents on the team simply due to the young player turned coach not being able to command or demand for that matter the attention and respect of the players and parents. When it comes down to it, parents should be as involved as much as possible until they are no longer the best option.

Very well said.

We know a parent who started as an assistant rec coach, having never played soccer (but had done other sports at a high level). Took over the team after a year or two and continued in rec, focusing on camaraderie and a positive experience. Eventually switched to NCSL, where they have since crushed it. Has been really fun to watch, and these kids have been happier playing than the high level players we know.

Recently had a kid that played 3 years of little kid travel first team big club. Moved to rec because of another sport. Rec coach is a dad that played. Best communication of any coach. Has practice plans he shares with parents. Is focused on kids loving the game. Significantly better than 20 something travel coach. The parents that have coached at rec, travel and HS seem to be sooo much better.

Likely due to most coming from rec being a parent. There is a huge difference in the coaching styles of former players who do not have children compared to coaches who do. Especially at the younger ages. Most coaches w/kids are going to do better than former players turned coaches. It will eventually flip as they get older and more competitive.

However, at the younger ages, the absolute most important thing (IMO) is to protect the player's passion to compete or get better in/at a game or activity they love, while pushing the player to consistently give the most 'effort' while practicing and playing regardless of the result. Coaches must find a way to get players to fall in love doing the drills, practices, and other things they hate doing. IMO, this is where the difference in being a parent sets these coaches apart from those that don't.

When it comes to travel sports, most young 20 something coaches are simply doing something they enjoy and genuinely don't have a vested interest other than the $5-7k they are getting paid to coach. I'll take a parent especially one w/a kid on the team over a coach w/no kids.

In the end, a parent from rec w/limited experience can easily surpass expectations simply by requiring a higher standard from the players and parents on the team simply due to the young player turned coach not being able to command or demand for that matter the attention and respect of the players and parents. When it comes down to it, parents should be as involved as much as possible until they are no longer the best option.

Our club had two parents who went this route. Both had played in college at higher levels than the professional coaches. One had a national championship ring they showed the kids. I was friends with one and he's a really great guy. He decided he was better off not coaching his own kid and likes working with the littles so does pre-travel skills trainings and will fill in for practices and games for U9 and U10 when other coaches have a conflict

Curious about dedicated parent volunteers who have progressed successfully to coaching a Travel team?

It seems that some coaches, although limited in soccer background have done better than “experienced” coaches at progressing with their kids. Getting licenses, coaches training, etc.

I seem to see much more professionalism out of this group than I do out of the 20 somethings who are experiencing soccer players, but generally new to coaching.