Struggling to have parents volunteer?

A board member mentioned to me they had over 300 kids sign up and were experiencing problems having parents volunteer to coach. They asked if our app could help guide their coaches through their season. Yes, our app can help their coaches coach.

However, you have to get the parents to say “Yes” to volunteering first. Thinking back, I remembered, “the most rewarding time I had as a parent” was volunteering to coach a group of kids.

Why did I Volunteer and say “Yes”?

Someone I knew and respected, told me I had the skills to do a good job, and that I would look back someday and remember how good it felt to contribute to the development of young people. They were right!

Cornered into volunteering? Sure!

Unless parents are given a deadline they make a decision, they won’t. Parents think they are too busy! In reality, they should invest the time with their kids!

Was I afraid I would mess up and blunder? Of Course!

Harry Houdini once said, “Never try to fool children, they expect nothing, and therefore see everything.

Was I happy I volunteered? Yes, absolutely!

The rewards!

• Volunteering moved me out of my comfort zone. We all gravitate to thinking we’ve put in a long day and accomplished a lot. But who for?
  •  This was for the kids my kid played with and I could watch them grow and develop.
• This taught me how to educate, communicate, and motivate more effectively: How you keep kids engaged:
  • Being competitive
  • Winning & Losing
  • Working together as a team
  • Experiencing individual accomplishments
  • Feeling the accomplishment as a Team
  • That feeling of the team “giving back” to an individual or a community with no expectation of receiving anything in return.
• This was something I could do:
  • The interactions I had with the kids & parents were great fun
  • Watching them all grow and learn was priceless

In summary:

Looking back, I worked with amazing people, kids, parents, and families. It was great to see people and communities working together. I would not have thought that the rewards were as great as they were. The memories are amazing as well!

So, if you need some parents to step up and Volunteer, here are some suggestions:

1. Tell them they would be great at coaching youngsters.
2. Remind them you are here to support and guide them.
3. Make sure you get them a training platform to guide them along their way.
4. Show them they will make a difference in the kids and the community.
5. Mention they will have experiences they will remember for a lifetime!
6. Tell them here is your chance to lead, using your leadership skills.
7. Hand them a signup form with a pen and wait while they complete it! 😊

Learn more – Coaching Smarter saving Time