A community sports coach is a qualified professional coach who provides high-quality sports coaching and physical activity for young people. The role of a community football coach is to increase participation, support talent and provide an opportunity for young people to enjoy playing football.
Football is one sports activities that seems to be functional across all local communities. It is one sport that does not require extraordinary skills to be involved. Children, youth, adults, males and females, are not exempted from playing football across communities.
Community football is much more than a game, it unites people, promotes pride within the community and builds an extended family. It is a movement that not only looks to teach lifelong lessons, such as teamwork, leadership, responsibility and perseverance, it also teaches the value of sacrifice and discipline while adding the benefit of physical activity.
The social, emotional, mental and physical benefits of community football far outweigh any potential minimal risk of injury during play. Being part of youth football is meaningful in many ways.
Community football coaches are made up of selfless volunteers who give of themselves to be a teacher, mentor and role model to instill confidence, self-discipline and teamwork to shape our youth.
Community football increases self-esteem and lowers the levels of depression by allowing children to have an outlet from daily stress. Not to mention the friendships and bonds which tie these youngsters for the rest of their lives.
Instead of using physical alone, they are taught the fundamentals of behaviour change. They use informal conversations, real-world situations and role-play to encourage social behaviours. The thinking is that sport could help young people develop the habits needed to maintain their social health, community development and secure a job.
The benefits of community football include:
1. Kids who play sports are less likely to get into trouble. Two factors that come into play when people are researching youth crime are boredom and a lack of supervision. These aren’t the only risk factors, obviously, but when kids are bored and unsupervised it’s easy for them to fall into bad company or make poor choices. Involving kids in sports can help occupy their time so that they have less free time in which to get into trouble. It occupies their minds and bodies, too, as they practice, play games, and connect with teammates.
2. Community sports provide a place for the community to connect. Communities with youth sports teams have something to rally behind, and the sports events bring people together, as families andneighbourss cheer on each other’s kids.
3. Developing consistent daily routines
Staying drug free.
4. Forming healthy relationships.
5. Being able to solve problems, set goals, resolve conflict and honour commitments.
6. Attempt to prevent acts of hooliganism and vandalism.
Community football coaches work daily to teach life lessons to children to help breed a society of respectful, dedicated, hard-working leaders who will be our future. Few sports prepare young men and women for life the way youth football does.
I’m a proud community football coach based in Nyankpala-Tamale Ghana and I want to see the local authorities support community football now.
I believe that by teaching kids to become better athletes, I’m also helping them to become better people, and good people are the foundation of a good community.
Godwin A. Apullah
GFA/CAF License D coach
0245258551
godwinapullah@gmail.com
