As 2021 comes to a close, join us and take a look back on all that we accomplished together!
With your support, we continued our efforts of ensuring that kids in low-income communities of color benefited from the positive impact coaches can have on their lives through sports.
Kicking the year off, we hosted the annual Coaching Corps Game Changer Awards virtually, where Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors Head Coach, honored his former collegiate coach, the late Lute Olson. In addition, Alyssa Nakken, San Francisco Giants Assistant Coach, honored her travel softball coach, Gabe Abelia, and we honored Laura Marquez as the 2021 Coaching Corps Coach of the Year!
We believe it is critical for coaches to understand the emotions and feelings of youth in under-resourced communities, many of whom have faced systemic inequalities, and debuted our Coaching with Empathy training nationally as a tool for coaches.
Former NBA All-Star Antonio Davis kicked off the promotion of our new training by starring in a series of short videos where he shared his experience as a young kid growing up in Oakland, CA, and a coach’s critical role in his life.
The Racial Equity and Access in Youth Sports Task Force launched Coaching Corps’ Youth Sport Racial Equity Initiative. The Task Force is composed of members of the sport, youth services, municipal, academic, and business communities – including afterschool education leaders (K-12), youth sports professionals, government leaders, community stakeholders, minority business leaders, and professional athletes.
Piloted in Oakland, California, the Task Force works together to build strategies that create more racially equitable youth sports opportunities and increase the number of Black and Brown coaches trained in youth development.
The Oakland Task Force aims to release its sports equity agenda in 2022.
To celebrate our amazing partners and coaches making a significant impact on and off the field, we created the Corps Partner and Game Changer of the Month highlights. Through blogs posts and short videos, we’ve highlighted the tremendous work of our partners and the impact and importance of a positive coach in the lives of young athletes. We also created our monthly newsletter, Corps Curriculum, to keep you updated on all things Coaching Corps.
In September, we partnered with Under Armour to release the #EmpathyChallenge as a part of their annual Armour Week. It is presented as an opportunity for individuals to provide a more supportive and caring environment for the children in their communities.
There are three ways to complete the challenge: (1) complete Coaching Corps’ free Coaching with Empathy training, (2) sign up to become a coach, (3) or simply spread the word about the need for well-trained and caring volunteers to give back to youth.
Since then, we’ve continued to partner with like-minded organizations to take on the #EmpathyChallenge, so that we can continue to impact the lives of youth living in low-income communities of color.
Earlier this month, we announced our merger with Positive Coaching Alliance to increase impact and ensure a positive youth sports experience for all. Click here to sign up for updates regarding the merger.
Coaching Corps thanks you for your ongoing support on and off the field.
For this holiday season, give the gift of empathy by signing up to become a volunteer coach and make a positive impact on the lives of kids in low-income communities of color, or support our mission and help aid us in ensuring that all youth have access to a well-trained and caring coach.
Want a full rundown of this year’s events and updates? Check out the blog here!
