It was shocking to Alison and me that kids quit sports at a high rate: 70% of all kids quit organized sports by the age of 13, with girls quitting at 6x the rate of boys. We didn’t set out to write HOW TO COACH GIRLS because of this statistic, we just knew that our daughters had uneven experiences from team to team and sport to sport. We, as parents, would worry about getting them to finish out the season if they were really unhappy.
But there is an easy way to find out if your team wants to return next season. As a coach, isn’t that the most important goal? Kids will naturally get better if they simply show up. And they will show up if they are having fun.
Keeping kids in sports might not have been the motivator for parents who sign up as volunteer coaches, but it’s hard not to react with shock and dismay at this stat. It’s also not surprising that kids drop out of sports in middle school when bodies are changing because of puberty. Activities, friendships, and priorities all can change during this period of transition.
We have created a Coach Evaluation form on our HOW TO COACH GIRLS website. It’s free and downloadable. It can be used for girls or boys team.
The form includes:
Scale: 4 = Excellent, 3 = Very Good, 2 = Good, 1 = Needs Improvement
- Communicates effectively with players regarding goals and expectations
- Coach’s approach to players was appropriate for age and skill of the team
- Displays knowledge of the game
- Communicates effectively with parents/guardians
- Responsive to questions or concerns brought to his/her attention
- Keeps commitments and is punctual
- Sets a positive atmosphere for the players
- Treats players, opponents, and officials with respect
- Made the sport fun to play
- Uses positive reinforcement and constructive criticism
And most importantly, it asks:
Would you/your child like to play for this coach again? Yes/No
You can download the form here.
Mia Wenjen blogs on parenting, education, and diverse children’s books at PragmaticMom. For more information about HOW TO COACH GIRLS, please visit our website. It is available for purchase at Audrey Press.
Alison Foley is the head coach for women’s soccer at Boston College. In addition to co-authoring HOW TO COACH GIRLS, she created a winter training class, Soccer on the Mat, that combines Brazilian feet skills with yoga.
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