I'm a college student now but in Highschool I played soccer at every level since I was 7. (rec + travel) I then started to volunteer as a coach for my local youth soccer group with my brother. So I've seen and experienced both sides.
First off, parents stop coaching your kids on the sidelines. Stop thinking your kids should get anything more than the other kid. (idc if he's the next messi) and answer your goddamn emails.
I've seen a LOT of parents complain about the lack of experience a lot of coaches have. Not to mention the huge gap between rec and travel sports. (costs, commitment, etc)
The solution is like right there and I'm honestly shocked it hasn't been made a thing.
Highschool athletes.
Those students have most likely spent hundreds of hours over many years on a sport. We have the knowledge so many parent coaches lack. We could fill in the gap of knowledge between travel and rec.
So why don't students volunteer to coach rec?
- lack of respect from parents
- money
- (sometimes) lack of time
Solutions to that?
- Keep the parent coach to help oversee practice, communicate with parents, and just keep the peace.
- PAY THE GODDAMN COACHES. That's how you're going to get your middle league. Students are usually broke, some are helping their parents. You get what you pay for. I was a volunteer coach, i made NOTHING. People with the type of experience I have can charge from 20-40$/hour. (And yes I have). Paying even just 15$ an hour (or look at wages around you) could bring in those players and improve practices.
Students are always looking for jobs with not too many hours (to juggle school) where they can choose their hours (pick practice times). This doesn't feel like a stretch.
1X 1:30 hour practice per week + 1 game (2hours ish) = $52 a week x 10-12 weeks = $520-$624 a season divided by atleast 12 players = $43.3 - 52$ extra dollars per person for the season.
That's WAY under the cost of travel, even when you include rec registration fees.
this obviously works better in higher income areas where people are willing to pay the extra $50 but to me it's a no brainer. I'd totally have coached a season for $500. That's a lot to me as a highschooler. It's not a lot to an adult, which is who rec admins usually target which is probably why they don't bother.
So in a partnership of athlete-coach, the athlete should be the one getting paid. The parents should keep volunteering.
ok rant over but I'm super curious to know what you guys think of this idea? Like genuinely to me it feels fair and it feels like a good solution to a problem I've seen literally everywhere. Obviously I don't know the parent's view of rec so I'm just curious. Do you think this could be successful?
tl/dr: Parents want better rec coaches, hire highschool travel athletes to work with volunteer parents. $15/h = +$50 per season per player.