I am always looking for activities for my kids, sports, dance, art, nature; you name it! But as my brood has grown from one child to three, my resources are spreading thin. The cost of preschool alone makes me faint. Also, being a stay-at-home mom means that our income is limited. Thankfully, you can find programs run by parent volunteers or programs that have co-op options. There is also the possibility of becoming a coach for your kid’s teams.
A volunteer-run team
Because of the pandemic, I’ve been hesitant to have my kids participate in some indoor activities. However, as fall approached, soccer season began, and I knew that would be an excellent opportunity for my eldest daughter to get outside and play with friends. I was excited to hear about our city offering a program similar to when I was a kid. It’s less expensive than many other sports, and that’s because it is volunteer-run. When I signed my daughter up for the team, I didn’t think I would volunteer to coach. No way. I’ve got three kids. Who has time for coaching too?
Well, as the season got closer, they emailed and said, if you want your kids to play, we need volunteers. So, the reality hit: I had been talking about soccer for months, and I didn’t want to let her down.
My husband switched job schedules, with a new ETA of 3:30 pm, which is amazing compared to the witching hours by myself (shivers). So, when I asked him about the possibility of me coaching, he gladly supported me (as always), so I signed myself up! The season will begin soon, and I couldn’t be more nervous or excited. Some perks of becoming a coach are the hope of extra bonding time with my daughter, the memories, and the fun. Also, you get to pick the day, times, and location of practices. We also convinced a parent of my daughter’s friend to co-coach with me. And luckily, he has the experience, so there are learning opportunities for me.
Becoming a volunteer coach
After I signed up, I received some emails that required me to do background checks, fingerprints, and online training with quizzes. It felt a bit intense at first. Am I cut out for this? First, I don’t know how to coach. And second, I’m responsible for seven kids, and only one is my own. Ok, deep breath here. I had to remind myself why I was doing this. I want my daughter to have a “team experience” and soccer fun. I don’t care if she wins, yeah, it would be nice to play better, but I want her to have fun. And I assume all the other parents are the same. That doesn’t mean I will not prepare, plan and do my best. But I need to remind myself that although I’m new to this, all that matters is a good attitude and the kids’ fun.
Have you ever considered coaching your kid’s sports team? Are you on the fence? I get it, it’s a lot, and your plate is full. Challenge yourself! I think it’s a great example to show our children. When we coach (especially in a sport we’re not familiar with), we teach them that it’s ok to be scared and that it’s ok to try new things. We show them that even adults ask for help and, most importantly, having a positive attitude can change everything. Did I mention that I get a whistle?
Wish me luck!
