FORT BENNING, Ga., (June 18, 2014) -- Tired of being an "armchair quarterback?" Do you like having or making a positive impact on young athletes? Are you a good motivator and problem solver with sound organizational and people skills? Are you community service-minded? Are you technically proficient in a sport?
Then volunteering as a Child, Youth & School Services coach may be a good fit for you.
"You can never have too many volunteer coaches who possess all those skills," said Dorrie Wagner, director for CYSS Youth Sports & Fitness. "Volunteer coaches are the cornerstone to our youth sports programs and are an asset to the community."
But, not just anyone can be a volunteer coach.
Wagner said each prospective coach undergoes an evaluation and training before working with Fort Benning athletes.
"There is an application process where prospective coaches undergo a background check both on and off post," Wagner said. "In addition, prospective coaches receive training on CYSS Touch Policy, emergency procedures to include severe weather, safety precautions, recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect, bullying and concussion training.
"It's all about keeping the kids safe and making sure they get the most out of their time with CYSS sports programs."
Coach Lee Obie, who has been coaching with CYSS since 2002, said coaching requires more than what just casual observers may see.
Obie said from a coaching standpoint, he enjoys trying to outsmart and outstrategize other coaches, but at the same time teach children.
"It's like playing chess, we try to outsmart our foe," he said. "In practical terms, it's about fine tuning the competencies and skills required of coaches and continually developing our theories and techniques."
It's also about reaching a child who may only be used to playing video games and watching them get out and being active, Obie said.
He said part of being a coach allows you to have a positive impact on the youth you come in contact with.
"I first realized the impact you can have by coaching kids when I coached my child at a Junior NBA YMCA basketball league," Obie said. "As a child I remember when a volunteer coach knocked on my door and asked my mother to sign me up to play football. I will never forget my coach."
Obie said one of the benefits he found as a coach was personal satisfaction from being a father-figure and mentor to those he coached.
"By volunteering, you wear so many hats; we mentor, we're peer supporters and we are teachers," he said. "We deal with various personalities, we shape and mold young minds; and we motivate kids that just need to come out of their shell.
I learn from them every year, that's why I return year after year, because I enjoy what I do."
In addition to the personal satisfaction from coaching, coaches who have children participating in sports are exempt from registration fees - and if you have two children participating, the second child gets a 10 percent discount.
Wagner said time is running out on getting the process started for the fall season, so coaches should get the process started immediately, especially since the background checks are extensive and may not be completed in time.
"If we get started now," she said, "we can have enough coaches cleared so we can get the season started on time at the end of August and the beginning of September."
Wagner said it normally takes about a month to get one background check through the system, provided there is no information that would precluded a volunteer from coaching.
"The (background) checks go through a screening process from the Military Police, local civilian authorities, drug and alcohol, mental health, Army central registry and the Criminal Investigation Command," she said. "And, if issues arise with any of those checks, it could delay someone being able to coach or not coach at all.
Wagner said without enough coaches who had completed background checks, the teams can't be divided up equally and that adding teams from the waiting list could present an unfair advantage to the teams already formed.
With soccer practice starting the last week of August, tackle football starting Sept. 2 and flag football, cheerleading and powder puff football beginning around Sept. 8, Wagner said coaches should get their background checks started now.
"We never know if there is an issue or not with the background checks until it comes back," she said. "So, if you apply late, taking into account the time involved for the review process, you're not going to be able to coach a fall sport. And, this goes for all types of coaches ... head coaches, assistant coaches and anyone else who wants to coach.
"It's really all about the athlete and making sure they have good coaches and a safe environment to learn and play in."
For more information on coaching, call Wagner at 706-545-1853 or 706-545-3582.
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