If you played sports as a kid and loved it, what do you think was the main reason for it?
While it’s true that playing sports with your peers is a fantastic way to gain confidence, create bonding relationships, and improve skills, one of the biggest factors to success in youth sports is the right coaching and mentoring.
And because the right coaching can either make or break an athlete, let’s go over why this is and why I’m so passionate about bringing great mentorship to your son or daughter.
Mentorship is about being a consultant: This is probably the main reason you are signing up your child in youth sports. Because I was an athlete, and because I am now coaching athletes, coaching is my expertise: it’s what I know and it’s my passion. I’ve gone through all the stages of being coached and mentored, and I know what works and what doesn’t. Your kids come to me to learn the game and learn it right because I’ve had years of real-world experience. Now, I want to pass on my knowledge and experience to your student-athlete. With my background, I’ve had to learn to overcome hardships and I’ve had to learn how to be the player I wanted to be by putting into practice all the things coaches have taught me. My experience is your child’s education.
Mentorship is about being a counselor: Though my goal is to toughen up your kids and make them true athletes, another goal through the program at EAT Sports Foundation is also about being a counselor. Just as a counselor guides you through the hard parts as well as the easy parts, they’re also there to listen. They’re there to bounce ideas off of and to be a voice of reason when you’re not sure what to believe. A good mentor is one that takes their own trials and mistakes and turns them into an educational resource for others. While a counselor doesn’t always give answers, they are there to give a supporting ear and to let your youth know they can talk through the issues until they solve them on their own.
Mentorship is about being a cheerleader: I want to make your young athlete a well-rounded and strong athlete -- an athlete who has learned that anything worth doing is going to be hard and require work. The third side of my mentorship goal is to be a cheerleader for them when the hard work has paid off and the results are coming in beautifully. A cheerleader is one who’s there to cheer your athlete on when things are amazing! It’s about support and enthusiasm! But, it’s also about cheering them on when times get tough. When results are turning out as they hoped, or the loss isn’t what they had in mind, being a cheerleader is about being an encourager in all situations. When I received encouragement alongside constructive criticism, it made me the best athlete I could be. In turn, I want to do the same for your child.
While mentors aren’t perfect, we sure are passionate about placing your athlete in a safe, competitive, and constructive environment. Pairing students with mentors is a wonderful way to guide youth on and off the field, and it also gives value to the mentors' lives; when you give to others, life becomes a gift to give to others. When you can take what you’ve learned and got the youth to glean from it, they’ve got a foundation to grow on academically, spiritually, and athletically.
From consulting to counseling to cheering your athlete on, here at EAT Sports, I am
committed to making your child the best person and athlete they can be.