For Randy Little, training and educating his youth sports coaches is just the first step in ensuring that the children in his sports league enjoy a positive, safe and rewarding experience.

“Personally, I make it a habit to visit practices and engage in friendly chat with assistants and parents, as well as observing the interaction of coaches and players,” said Little, president of the Ozarks Football League, Inc. in Missouri. “I also make it a habit to watch the games and monitor sideline behavior, as well as sit in the crowd and listen. I also have an excellent relationship with the head of referees and get feedback after every game from officials.”

Although the City of Roswell (Ga.) Recreation and Parks Department believes in the importance of training and educating youth sports coaches, it understands that many busy parent-coaches simply don’t have time to attend educational seminars or clinics. Scheduling training sessions or group clinics that accommodate every coach can be challenging, especially for a large community like Roswell.

 

That is why the National Youth Sports Coaches Association’s (NYSCA) online coaches training program has been so perfect for them. Thanks to this innovative online tool offered by the National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS), coaches in the Roswell Recreation and Parks Department can receive valuable coaching information and tips on their own time from the comfort of a home or office.

 

“After viewing the clinic’s content, we felt that it would tremendously benefit all of our volunteers, even some of our veteran coaches,” said Jonathan King, athletic program supervisor for the City of Roswell Recreation and Parks Department. “The content of the program was not the only reason why we chose NYSCA, but also the fact that coaches could participate online and at their own pace. This aspect was an extremely important part of our decision.”