Don't Lose Site of the "AHA" Moments

When coaching youth sports, it is easy to get caught up in the winning and losing.  Why do you coach?  To get the trophy?  To get another medal for your kids?  Are you getting paid?  Is there a real national championship on the line?  If you are like me, then these are not the reasons.  I have spoken before about coaching to develop instead of coaching to win.  It's easy to forget that when each weekend you are playing to be a "champion."

This year, I have a new team that is mostly made up of inexperienced players in comparison to the three players that I have coached previously.  While I knew up front that this would be a year focused on teaching and developing players, I lost sight of that fact as we began our tournament season and the competitive juices caused me to feel the pressure to win. 

As our season is nearing an end, I think about our 17-5 record and am pleasantly surprised.  However, I am more pleased with the progress of all of our players.  Watching kids shoot the ball with their opposite hands.  Seeing a kid utilize a move in a game that we have worked on time and again in practice.  Being able to give a big squeeze to a kid that finally executed what you have asked from him and seeing that feeling of pride on his face.  Being able to give playing time to all of the kids even in crucial situations.  Sitting back and watching your kids share the ball, help each other off the ground, congratulate each other on a good play and smile as they walk off the court.

That is why I coach.  For those moments when a young athlete says "AHA" and they just get it.  That is coaching to develop and when you do that, winning will take care of itself.