In Good Hands: Why Mentorship Comes First in Boys & Girls Club Sports

At Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield, sports are about mentorship, confidence, and character first, all of which are driven by volunteer coaches who care. 

Danny Weathermon, director of sports and coach, passes along the knowledge he gained from his own coaches. 

"Even though you may not be a gifted athlete off the bat, the coaches always worked with you, and at the end of the year, you were just as good as anyone else,” says Danny. “And that’s one thing I do work harder on, is working with the kids with less experience and letting them enjoy it instead of letting them frustrate."

Our coaches make sure every player gets support and encouragement throughout the season. 

While winning the games is ideal, it's actually secondary to learning how to work together as a team; at least that's Club dad and volunteer coach Johnathen’s approach to the field. 

"The biggest thing I coach is teamwork and unselfish play. . . I think that's more important for these kids right now than learning how to kick the ball well."

Learning soft skills in our sports program sets youth up for success and extends far beyond sports. 

Youth can get so immersed in winning the game that they can become discouraged and risk quitting. This almost happened during a recent game, but Club youth development professional and volunteer coach TJ, explains that it takes a little bit of coaching to empower a child to play again.

“I talked her through it and told her to slow down and be patient… Once she slowed down, got patient, she picked that ball off, got a touchdown,” he says. “That’s probably one of my favorite memories so far of one of my kids.”

Our coaches listen, explain, and support your youth through tough moments so they build resilience instead of giving up. 

Learn more about our athletic programs and registration dates at https://www.bgclubspringfieldsports.org/