10 Reasons We Love Youth Sports

I want to recognize all the dedication which comes out of each of our young athletes. Week after week they sacrifice dedicated hours to the sport they love. Every time, leaving practices, leagues, and private lessons, camps, and games with sweat on their brows. We are privileged to watch from the sidelines as all of their hard work pays off on the court.

I have thoroughly enjoyed watching each of our athletes develop and improve their volleyball skills this past year. I love their desire and eagerness to ask us as coaches for help to become better athletes. It’s awesome and inspiring to see such determination in our youth. I only hope the fire never dies down in them to carry out this kind of passion for their goals throughout their lives.

As a coach, if your only objective is to win, then you have already lost. The worst part is, you only lost a game, but those athletes have lost out on much more. We became coaches for more than merely honing athletic abilities; we became coaches to cultivate life lessons for these kids.

We are not here to scream about winning and losing, because the hard truth is, you will lose. Loss is a part of life. Failures will happen. It’s not what we did to hit those failures that matter; it’s what we did to overcome them that hold value.

Do we want to win? Yes.

Do we want championships? Definitely.

Yet, those things will fade. However, what carries on are the lessons learned on the court, that translate off the court.

Be Coachable

Become a life-long student and you will be surprised on how far you will go. This means learning how to take constructive criticism. Most of the time what you don’t want to hear is exactly what you needed to hear.

Self-Reflect

We learn in sports, self-reflection. We learn to look at choices we’ve made on the court and reflect. Was that the correct decision at that particular time. This is crucial in life. Constructive criticism is useless without self-reflection.

Decision Making

Be decisive! This is critical to success in anything. Too many times people are held back by their fear to make a move. Playing sports teaches us at a young age to make quick, calculated decisions.

Accountability

We don’t fear making a decision as much as we fear having to claim responsibility when our decision was wrong. I, not only love seeing our athletes make a decision, then take action, but I love hearing the “my bad guys”, when it was the wrong call.

Let Go Of Mistakes

Playing a team sport teaches us to learn from a mistake, but not dwell on it. It also teaches us forgiveness. To accept the short comings of a teammate and collectively take responsibility for a bad play so they may overcome it next time.

Confidence

Confidence is the result of decision making, taking responsibility, not dwelling on mistakes, and learning to work with others.

Focus on What You can Control

In sports we play positions. This teaches us to focus on what we can control in the game. You will never be able to do it all on your own, and you can only control what you are doing, not others around you. You can lead, you can delegate, but you cannot control.

Perseverance

We are taught to play through the desire to quit. So many times in life you will want to quit, but you must persevere. There is reward in persistence. We don’t give up when we are weary. We don’t give up when times are difficult. We don’t give up when we are short handed. We push through.

Hard Work Pays Off

Perseverance proves hard work pays off. All those practices. All those extra touches. All those hours, and lessons, and workouts. Paid off! We learn every victory comes with hard work. Nothing falls in your lap.

How to Win and Lose

This one I saved for last. Sports should teach us how to lose, but most importantly, it should teach us how to win. Be humble in life.

Coach Mike Euliano NASM CPT, FNS