The competitive sports sphere has historically intimidated me as a coach. As a former recreation and club player, I had mixed experiences being led as an individual and as a teammate that constantly made me question whether or not I would be the right coach for capable, driven players. Having left the competitive game after one year of college ball, all the more I doubted my ability to serve beyond youth and recreation sports. Not everyone pursuing coach pathways feels like this, but for those of you who do- this post is for you.
Pictured is a turning point in my coaching career. I had the privilege of being on the coaching staff for the first CP Soccer Club Men’s World Cup win for the United States! CP Soccer is a member group of U.S. Soccer and joins the seven other Disability Soccer Organizations (DSOs) who are active members. CP Soccer serves players with cerebral palsy (CP), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and stroke. Players can be of any age, ability, gender identity, etc. to participate at the recreation level. As we know, the developmental levels is where my experience existed until I flew to Barcelona, Spain with my coaching team.
U.S. Soccer boasts an ever-growing inclusive department called the Extended National Teams (ENT). The first-ever team representing players with disabilities in the ENT was the CP Soccer Men’s National Team. These are some of the best athletes I have ever seen in the accessible world of soccer. While the team I coached in Barcelona was the club team for the separate nonprofit of CP Soccer, we benefited from the presence of a few ENT players on our roster. When I saw this roster, my nerves prevailed as I looked at my own limited coaching resume and compared it to the playing experience on that list.
Everyone starts somewhere, and that includes me as a coach. The fine line between self-doubt and self-awareness can be a struggle. Reflective practices can be a strength if those areas of doubt (or growth) can be viewed as malleable. I knew my affinities for organization, team management, and cultural competence relating to disability were sufficient. My experience with international play, high-level tournaments, and high-stakes contexts however were not. Given my mindset going into the tournament, I want to share with you my major takeaways having come out successful on the other end:
Talk it Out
The number one thing that gets me through the incessant skepticism of my own abilities is to talk to others. Usually, though, the conversation starts with myself. First I feel, and I feel strongly. By this, I mean the stress of not feeling good enough manifests physically and I hurt. Once I recognize this, I begin to sort through thoughts of what I can do and where my areas of growth are. Then, I take the conversation outside. While my therapist always gets an earful, I find that talking out your areas of strength and growth with someone knowledgeable in the field is the most effective. When I don’t feel like the best coach, I turn to colleagues with a mental “expert coach” label. When I feel as though I have not met a player’s needs sufficiently, I may turn to them, their family, or another person who knows the player for input. While others may tell you to “trust your gut”, I implore you to give your gut a break and find solace in collaborative discussion.
Works Cited
Approach to Meet the Behavior Analysis Certification Board’s Supervision Standards. Behav Anal Pract. 2016 Aug 1;9(4):329-338. doi: 10.1007/s40617-016-0136-x. PMID: 27920964; PMCID: PMC5118256.
