Dear Editor,

I want to make a plea to all youth recreational coaches in our county. Coaching youth sports is a privilege that should not be taken lightly. I want to point out what I believe are our biggest responsibilities to the children we are allowed to coach and influence.

We as coaches should make sure we instruct kids on how to play the sport, we should be a positive influence with our actions, and above all make sure they have fun. We also need to remember there can be only one winner and winning is a bonus to all the things listed above.

I as a coach still make mistakes when caught up in the heat of the moment during a close game. I am trying to make sure that I remember there are little eyes watching me at all times. I have 2 sons that play sports and I coach each of them in different ways. My oldest is 15 and is more competitive because of his age. By this age, most kids who continue to play sports are competitive. My youngest is 8 and this is where I am most concerned with the way I coach and others around me.

Coaches need to recognize that these are instructional leagues. As parents, we should remember that coaches are giving their time as volunteers. Yet, we should stand up for our kids when coaches do not meet their responsibilities. These coaches influence our children very much with their actions and we should not allow our kids to witness coaches act in ways that we would never act in our own homes. Parks and Recreations will listen to parents who have legitimate concerns about coaches’ conduct. I also want to make sure people know that I do not always agree with the Parks in Recreation in Hamlet and Rockingham, but do support them. They do their best to pick the right people to coach these young kids and we should not let them down.

Chris Carpenter

Hamlet, N.C.