5 Ways Coaching Has Changed My Life

• I played sports all throughout primary school and high school. Unfortunately the arrival of covid marked the end of my last season of school netball. It felt like I was really missing out on one of the things that made Year 12 fun.
• So naturally, when I finished high school, the job that made the most sense for me was one in coaching netball.
• Not only has coaching given me the opportunity to make money but it’s given me the chance to stay in touch with my old school, feel more confident and assertive with my ideas and also reconnect with the game I love.
• Here are 5 ways being a coach has changed my life.
   

1. Become part of a team

Some of the best laughs come from coaching. As the coach you’re there for all the early mornings, you’re there in the afternoons after a long day of school. And because it’s not in school time there are constant attempts to muck around and just chat with their friends. 

And when they start to look a bit weary, as a coach you can change the plan to play a fun game. By bringing them together, in a moment when the other choice would be to give up and have a break, you can turn that around and motivate them to keep going. 

It reminds them that there’s more to sport than winning - it’s really all about the friendships you make and fun that you have along the way. 

2. Become a leader

I have learnt an unending amount of patience from coaching. But I have also learnt how big of an impact you can have on a person by being their coach. 

Life as a student, particularly when you have assignments and exams, can be really stressful. Through coaching you learn that it really is about more than the sport you play. You learn when to give them a break so they stay motivated, but also when to push them so they grow as a person and as a player. 

3. Get outside and away from a desk-job

Don’t get me wrong, desk jobs are great, but coaching is the best excuse to get outside on a sunny day. 

Sitting at a desk all day everyday is not my ideal work week, so adding in coaching where I have the flexibility to earn some money while getting out into the fresh air impacts my mental health in a really positive way. 

4. Flexible hours 

Coaching has so much flexibility. When I first started uni I was literally desperate for a job, but it isn’t so straightforward when you’re trying to find a position that will work around uni tutorials that are often in the middle of the day. 

I can get up early in the morning and get in a training session before my normal day starts, so by 8am I’ve already worked a few hours. Or I can have the whole day for myself and then coach in the afternoon. 

It is the perfect flexible job.

5. Helping others find their love for sport

My favourite parts of coaching are the first and last weeks. 

The first week is what I call getting to know the team week. These first few sessions with the team are essential for getting to know everything about the team including: each person's name, their strengths, weaknesses and the dynamics of the group. After learning all these things, it's time to be strategic and work out what you want to be like as a coach and team. 

That brings me to why the last week is also my favourite. The last week is all about looking back at the progress the whole team has made. You get to see how the dynamics of the group have changed, and how each individual has hopefully fallen more in love with the game. 

And that is why I keep saying yes to ridiculously early mornings. Seeing my team grow as players and as human beings is the most rewarding feeling. 

So, get out there and give it a go yourself. You never know what could change your