The Powers of a Coach

           

Figure 1

Kim Possible is known for beating up bad guys and saving the world, but she also coaches a little league soccer team on her days off (Figure 1). All you have to do is call and beep her! Even a superhero knows that being a role model for kids just like you, is just as important to saving the world. Do you ever wonder how you got so talented at the sport you are currently playing? The determination to get better does have to come from inside you, but your coach also has an impact on your skills. A mentor or a coach is defined as a "relationship with an advisor or peer who acts as a role model" (2).Coaching and mentoring are the same in many ways because both are there to help you positively. The real question is, do you have what it takes to become the best? 

                                                                  How Coaches Help!

Figure 2

Kim Possible and your coach have many similarities on how they teach you and your teammates. Showing good behavior, focusing on the positive, and encouraging others are the basics for being a helpful coach and mentor (1). For example, have you ever said a bad word because you heard someone else say it? This is where your coaches need to be careful. They are one of the role models in your life that are supposed to show you good behavior. Figure 2 lets you see how Kim is helping a young athlete understand what he did wrong. She realizes that being a coach means teaching them more than just the sport. This also goes along with focusing on the positive. Instead of getting frustrated and quitting at something you just can't get down, your coach is there to give you a boost. The more positive they are to you, the more you want to reach your goal. Their purpose is to not let you quit, but to succeed. Encouragement is one of the other ways that your coach should be there for you. For instance, if you score a goal in one of your soccer games, high fives and "good jobs" should be surrounding you. These actions and words are keeping your love for the game. Seeing someone that has such a positive influence on life, makes you think how do I become a coach? 

Becoming a Mentor/Coach

Figure 3

Being a role model for kids takes more than just a sign-up sheet. Each coach you experience playing a sport with, all have specific skills. Leadership and listening are the qualities that a coach must present to their team. If you decide to become a coach, you need to be able to have control over your players. They aren't going to learn if all they do is goof off and not practice. As a coach, you are supposed to keep them focused and guide them to success. A role model who leads them will see a positive outcome in their young athletes in not just the sport, but in life itself. The other skill that coaches need to focus on is to listen to their team. Kids should be able to ask their coach questions if they don't understand how to do a skill or play. Figure 3 helps show how Kim is trying to teach her team how to kick a soccer ball. Kim Possible listened to what the kids needed help with and taught them the right way. A coach will only be able to help their athlete if they listen to them and teach them what they need to know. This will lead your future team to success. 

                                                                     Call Me, Beep Me, If You Wanna Coach Me!

Kim possible is here to tell you that there is more than just being a coach. It takes a set of skills and practice to be the best coach that you can be. Even fighting evil won't hold Kim back from helping her little league soccer team. Being a coach is more than just how many wins and losses you have. It's about making a positive impact on the kids and being a role model. It takes a special kind of person to do this job. 

 Here is a video of how coaches impacted kids just like you.                            

References 

(1) Peer-to-peer mentorship among young athletes. (2016, April 7). Retrieved April 13, 2017, from http://globalsportsdevelopment.org/peer-to-peer-mentorship-among-youth-athletes/

(2)Yu, Andrea (2017). The Power of Mentors and Sponsors. Retrieved from  http://web.b.ebscohost.com/

Figure 1: Coach Possible [Web Image]. Retrieved from http://kimpossible.wikia.com/wiki/Coach_Possible

Figure 2: Kim Possible [Web Image]. Retrieved from  https://wn.com/kim_possible_s1e11_coach_possible

Figure 3: Coach Possible [Web Image]. (2015).  Retrieved from http://fanaru.com/kim-possible/image/76650/coach-possible-episode-screencap-1x11-screenshot/