Nike Inc. and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee released “Coaching Girls,” an expansion of the How to Coach Kids offering for volunteer youth coaches, designed to create a culture that makes sport fun for girls.
The Coaching Girls modules are accompanied by three new age-specific modules and a Spanish translation. Inspired by the Aspen Institute’s Project Play 2020 initiative, How to Coach Kids is a free, online course that provides coaches the training they need to keep kids having fun, which keeps them opting into play instead of dropping out. Easily accessible online and as an app, How to Coach Kids also provides youth coaches a complete resource center and additional sport-specific trainings and tools.
“Empowering girls in sport starts with great coaches,” said Caitlin Morris, General Manager of Nike Social & Community Impact at Nike Inc. “Girls deserve coaches who can directly connect with them, understand their experience and invite them to participate. Our goal for the How to Coach Kids’ Coaching Girls course is to give youth coaches the tools they need to help girls reach their potential.”
Accessible resources that improve volunteer coaches’ ability to deliver quality youth sport experiences are urgently needed – especially those focused on girls. Research from the Women’s Sports Foundation shows when girls connect with their coaches, they’re more likely to keep playing. The likelihood of this increases with a trained coach, yet only 30 percent1of youth coaches are trained to build a team culture that’s gender-inclusive and focused on building kids’ confidence through sport and play.
“Every athlete – and every child – deserves the most positive, healthy and fulfilling sport experience, and that begins with quality and effective coaching,” said Chris Snyder, USOPC director of coaching education. “At the USOPC, we are incredibly proud of the strong, confident women who represent Team USA. The Coaching Girls course is a fantastic way to further that legacy, and ensure we’re equipping youth coaches with the resources and tools they need to engage kids in sports by creating environments where kids can play and thrive.”
By providing reputable, research-based tools and resources that coaches need to work with kids of different genders, ages and abilities, How to Coach Kids bridges the foundational training gap in youth coaching. In turn, the course empowers great coaches that teach, motivate, inspire and empower kids to opt into play. How to Coach Kids strives to engage both men and women. Only 23 percent1 of youth coaches are female, but this course is helping inspire more women to start coaching and improving the abilities and confidence of all coaches.
Content in the new Coaching Girls course includes:
- Creating a Girl-Inclusive Culture
- Getting to Know Girls – Stages of Development
- Giving Girls Choice and VoiceNike and U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee Launch “Coaching Girls” to Show Girls
- They’re Made to Play Part of How to Coach Kids, new course empowers youth coaches to keep kids – especially girls – involved in sport and play
