SHAWANO, WI- More than 300 kids are taking part in Shawano Youth Soccer this fall, but the biggest challenge facing the organization this year was finding enough coaches to help those players learn, compete and enjoy the game.
For many coaches, stepping onto the field does not require years of soccer experience. It simply requires a willingness to help kids grow.
“Every year we’re kind of scrounging for coaches,” said longtime coach John Stang, who has coached for five years. “I didn’t come from soccer, but I still love watching the kids play and be competitive.”
Stang said coaching is about much more than teaching the sport.
“Letting them learn how to be competitive but also be a team player has been a big thing,” he said. “Just watching kids come out of their shell has been a big deal.”
Stang said parents who may be interested in coaching in the future should not let a lack of soccer knowledge stop them.
“It’s easy,” he said. “I just used YouTube. I came from different sports besides soccer, so it’s honestly just getting the kids active, watching a few videos, coming to practice with four drills and then playing some games and making it fun.”
He said one of the best ways for future coaches to learn is simply by being involved.
“Just be present at your kids’ practices and watch other coaches,” Stang said. “I still steal drills from other coaches. I’ll see something and think, ‘Hey, that looks fun. Let’s do that.'”
For first-year coach Hunter Ludvigson, the decision to volunteer came from wanting to be part of his son’s experience.
“I was just super excited to help the community out,” Ludvigson said. “I saw coaches were needed and wanted to be able to help. My son’s playing for the first time ever, so I wanted to be part of that journey with him.”
Ludvigson said while he had never played soccer before, he was excited to learn.
“I played sports growing up, but never played soccer,” he said. “I’m all for learning something new with my son.”
He also sees coaching as an opportunity to pass along lessons learned through sports.
“Trying to teach the values I learned growing up and playing sports to all the kids that are going to be on my team and everyone else I come in contact with throughout this time,” Ludvigson said.
Shawano Youth Soccer President Lisa Krull said the need for coaches is one of the biggest challenges facing the organization.
“With over 300 kids in our fall program, coaching is one of the most important ways to influence children, and it is one of the scarcest opportunities,” Krull said.
Krull said some of the most valuable volunteers are not necessarily the ones with soccer experience.
“The most important ones are the parents who step forward with no experience at all and grab it right by the horns, knowing that children in their community need them,” she said.
The organization provides resources and support to help coaches succeed.
“Our number one thing that our club does is coach support,” Krull said. “With coach training and opportunities for coaching mentors, we make sure our coaches have the resources they need to be successful.”
Krull said more coaches also means better opportunities for players.
“With more coaches, we can consider teams of smaller sizes, which means more playing time for all players, which is the best goal for any sports team,” she said.
Longtime coach Jason Kuehl said one of the most rewarding parts of coaching is watching players improve over time.
“I just like to see how the players can develop and get better after each game,” Kuehl said. “It’s just a fun community. Most coaches and players are all fun. They’re just there to have fun, get along and play the game.”
Kuehl encourages anyone considering coaching to give it a try.
“I would say just try it,” he said. “Especially with the soccer league, they really help guide you if you need extra ideas for what to do at practice.”
He said even those without soccer experience can be successful.
“It’s such a family kind of atmosphere that even if you don’t know much, you would do just fine being a coach for SAY.”
Shawano Youth Soccer continues to grow, with families from Shawano and surrounding communities including Coleman, Mountain, Gresham and Wittenberg taking part. Organizers say the future of the program depends on community members willing to step forward and make a difference.
While they were able to get the help they needed this year just in time, every year starts with the same challenge, finding coaches.
For those parents watching from the sidelines this season, the message is simple: you don’t have to know everything about soccer to be a coach. You just have to be willing to help kids learn, grow and have fun.
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