Coaching youth field hockey is about 10% actual coaching and 90% begging players not to use the round side of the stick. Especially with third- and fourth-graders, who can barely run in a straight line, much less dribble in one!
I first started coaching my freshman year of high school when my parents took over the Montclair youth program. We had more than seventy players across four teams, all with varying levels of experience and athleticism. With just my parents, me, and a few other parent volunteers, it was always all hands on deck to keep the season running smoothly. At first, I was surprised by how difficult coaching really was. Before this, I had only seen things from a player’s perspective. From that point of view, begging the coach for water didn’t seem like a big deal. But as a coach on the receiving end of those constant requests, I suddenly wished I could go back in time and apologize to every coach I had ever harassed.
Beyond endless questions, another challenge is the short attention span of players. Like clockwork, every time a coach starts explaining a drill, something happens to completely derail the team’s focus. Last week, it was a new Kool-Aid dye job one of our players was showing off. Another time, a ladybug landed on a coach’s stick mid-demonstration. Naturally, both events required the immediate attention of the entire team.
Despite the chaos, there are moments that make it all worthwhile. Just last week, our 7th- and 8th-grade team came back from a 2–0 deficit to beat their opponent 5–3. Even better, the other team happened to be the feeder program for one of our biggest high school rivals, Ridge. Watching the girls rally to overcome adversity was an amazing feeling, and my little sister’s hat trick made the win extra sweet.
Coaching youth field hockey is definitely a challenge, and I get why it’s not for everyone. But if you can stick through the questions, the distractions, and the frustration, you’ll find that seeing your hard work pay off to help others is one of the most rewarding feelings there is.
