Dad’s ‘Letter from a Volunteer Coach’ will give side-line hecklers food for thought

 

We all lead busy lives as parents, partners, employees and homemakers, which is why taking the responsibility upon ourselves to volunteer for an after-school activity is such a big deal.

 

For those of you who haven’t been in the situation, can you imagine sacrificing your spare time to coach a kids’ team, only to be heckled and abused from the side-lines by angry parents? It must be gut-wrenching – which is why this father, in Australia, has decided to speak out.

 

The unnamed father is a volunteer coach with Shellharbour Junior Football Club, and after hearing insults hurled and reading angry letters received – all criticising him for game losses and fall-outs - he decided to share his side of things in an open Facebook letter.

 

Posting on the club’s official page, the dad explained how an insult hurled at him that day had encouraged him to write the letter. But it wasn’t the first time something like this had happened – his wife hears more of the verbal abuse on a regular basis, and he has also received letters blaming him for all sorts.

 

Reiterating that he is a ‘volunteer’, he responded: “I’m the one who answered the call when the club said they didn’t have enough coaches or managers. I understand that you were too busy. I have some news for you. I’m not retired. I’m busy too. I have other children and a job, just like you do. Not only do I not get paid to do this – it costs me money. I see you walk up to the game 15 minutes after it started, still dressed for work. Do you know I’ve already been here over an hour? Imagine if you had to leave work early nearly every day. I’ve never seen you at a training. I’m sure you’re plugging away at the office. But I’m out here, on the field, trying my best to teach these children how to play a sport they love, while my bank account suffers.”

 

He admitted that, while he may not be the best coach in the world, he is present and fair and respectful of the kids – which counts for an awful lot when you’re coaching little ones, especially in your own time.

 

This man is the first one there for game prep, and the last one leaving after the final whistle blows – and he does his job without the help of any of those who stand by, pointing the finger.

 

“Do you know how nice it would be if, just once, after a game one of you offered to carry the heavy gear bag to my car or help collect the balls, bibs or bottles?” he asked.

 

In a final, strong message, this dad admitted that he wouldn’t be volunteering unless he loved it, and he does – however, a little more appreciation and a little less aggro would mean the world to him.

 

“I just wish sometime those who don’t choose to volunteer their time would leave the coaching to the few of us who do,” he wrote.

 

We’re sure there are many of you out there who can relate to this very honest letter.

 

SHARE to remind people to appreciate the volunteers who put so much time and effort into helping our kids.