Why should I Volunteer and what are the Benefits?

The Girls Softball League of Westfield seeks volunteers to coach recreational teams from K-8.  If your daughter has signed up, you should considering volunteering to be a coach or an assistant coach.  Volunteering to coach youth sports is a simple and fun way to impact the children in your community.  While having experience playing softball is helpful, you need not be an “expert” to coach softball.   Like everything in life, it takes time to learn, find your voice, develop a style, and earn the trust and respect of the parents and players. 

There are so many benefits to coaching your child’s team.  We understand that you may not know that much about softball and that you have busy schedules, or that you may not feel comfortable in the role of a coach.  You should not let your lack of sports experience stop you from saying “yes” to this coaching opportunity.  GSLW offers instructional materials and clinics for coaches.  You will take the Rutgers Safety Clinic and that will provide you with many coaching tips.  Depending on your child’s age, you may find that you don’t need to know quite as much as you think, and this is also true if you're signing up to be an assistant.  It can truly be amazing for your children if you get involved in their activities, but they are not the only ones who benefit.  Based on the GSLW Board’s collective experience, we can say with certainty that coaches gain a great deal from their experience with sports leadership. 

There are numerous reasons to volunteer, but we will only set forth a few:

1. You will get to spend more time with your child.  Coaching her team is a fantastic way to build and keep a strong connection.  Coaching provides you with the opportunity to build self-esteem with positive reinforcement and constructive criticism.  Coaching allows you to be in control of the experience.    
2. You will expand your social network. Getting involved in your child’s sports teams can be an introduction to like-minded families and sometimes life-long bonds are forged.
3. You will develop new skills.  It is important to never stop learning.  Coaching keeps you young and it helps you relate to your children as they develop new skills.  Plus it shows your kids that you are willing to get out of your comfort zone, which is a really powerful thing for a parent to role model.
4. You will learn and re-learn life lessons.  You will be called upon to instill positive values in your players and this will in-turn instill/reinforce positive values in you. You will need to develop patience, along with fair play, responsibility, having fun, leadership and problem solving. 
5. You will get a work out too.  Keeping up with your team on the field will test your endurance.  Coaches get the benefits of working out with their players at practices and find as the kids’ skills and fitness levels improve, theirs do too.
6. You will come away with a sense of pride and accomplishment.  You will set goals for you, your team and each individual player. Small or big, learning to set goals will help you and your players in all aspects of life. When you and your players achieve the goals, you will be thrilled and so will they.
7. You will have fun.  Kids play sports because it is fun.  Coaching is fun too.  Getting to know the kids, helping them learn, seeing them gain confidence, and taking risks is part of what makes it so great.  

If you are not interested in coaching or assisting, maybe you want to volunteer as the team manager or team parent, you can coordinate snacks after the game or volunteer for the GSLW parade.  There are many opportunities for everyone to participate. You can register as a volunteer now or reach out to any Board Member to discuss what option works for you.