What Are the Motives for People Who Coach?

Individuals enter the coaching ranks for many reasons. Some find full-time, financially rewarding careers in coaching, while others volunteer to coach on evenings and weekends. Whether coaches have high-profile positions at the collegiate or professional sports level or spend their Saturdays on the Little League diamond, they have several motives for choosing to coach.

  1. Desire to Work With Youth

    • Many individuals choose to coach because they want to work with youth. Whether they are coaching a kindergarten soccer team or a college basketball team, coaches have the opportunity to influence the lives of young athletes. This can be a rewarding task, allowing the coaches to serve as mentors on and off the playing field. In addition to receiving guidance to improve their athletic skills, athletes often turn to coaches for support in family or school affairs. This ability to help youth drives many coaches to do what they do.

    Love of Sports

    • Coaches are usually former athletes themselves, and their love of sports prompts them to enter the coaching ranks when their careers as athletes are over. This motive to coach keeps the coach connected to the sport he loves -- in a fresh, new way. Coaches can use the skills they acquired as athletes to guide their team to victory. They remain a part of the sport that shaped their lives, which is important to many coaches.

    Competitive Nature

    • Individuals with a strong competitive nature make for effective coaches, and this desire to compete -- and win -- often pushes them to coaching positions. Volunteer coaches might not find their competitive streak satisfied in daily life, and the opportunity to coach can rev that streak and get them excited. Paid coaches might thrive on the competition-based nature of their profession. Preparing for the big game and coaching in it can satisfy that competitive streak for coaches.

    Community Contribution

    • Individuals who volunteer as coaches often do so in an attempt to give back to their community. Coaching an at-risk youth football team, for example, can be a rewarding experience to the coach. In this example, coaches have the opportunity to influence the lives of children who need help. Any volunteer coaching position provides the same rewards, as coaches are able to use their athletic skills and knowledge and create a fun, healthy activity that community members can enjoy.