Preparing Youth Athletes for Adulthood

One of my favorite things about being a youth sports coach is running into former players long after they are done playing and getting a chance to catch up. I’ve coached some absolute gems who I have seen grow up to be business owners, fathers & mothers, older siblings and by other means successful. By all accounts I have observed them to have brought the same character traits that made them great athletes into adulthood.

In the workplace.

I’ve been around sports my whole life. Once I transitioned into work life, the traits that had made me most successful in youth sports are the same that I deploy in my work life. Teamwork, communication, leadership – all have roots from my first Squirt hockey team (think 10U). By learning how to get along with people and communicate my goals (both team and individual), I was able to be a leader on the team. Those traits I use today to communicate with staff and help them align with company and department strategies.

In the home.

Parenting is another areas where athletes benefit by being an athlete. When youth sports is done correctly, you learn the foundation of what being a leader means. Being a leader as a head of your family as a parent involves communication (surprise), problem solving, and knowledge retention. All traits that elite athletes learn to perfect in their goal of being the best team they can possibly be.

In their circle.

Several years ago I implemented a Big Win “drill” into practices at the PeeWee (12U) level. It was something we’d do while the kids where getting dressed for practice and it had one rule: It couldn’t be about sports. The idea being that each athlete would have an opportunity to share a success in their lives not tied to hockey. Kids would come excited to practice to share their success with their teammates. Adulthood is like game days when you’re a kid. Every day you get the opportunity to perform your skills. And most importantly, celebrate the successes. Much like I did years ago with my 12U players who celebrated test scores, family vacations, and new tricks, celebrating and encouraging your teammates are the key to refilling their adulthood tank.

When I look back twenty years from now, I won’t remember the game we won or lost. I will remember the connections I made with some amazing kids who have now become doctors, teachers, business owners, nurses, whatever they choose to win at. I still love when ex players reach out to me and share their successes. I am encouraged that they’re using skills that they learned off the the ice as youth sports participants to better their work life, their home life, and the community they thrive in – because they bring that desire to be great into whatever they do. Life skills learned by participating in youth sports, when done correctly, can set up our youth for success for the rest of their life in many different capacities.

Give everything your everything. And then some.