Coach for Chicago Program Relaunches, Impacting the Lives of Students and Volunteers
By Alex Davies, WSC Staff
After just two months since its relaunch, World Sport Chicago’s Coach for Chicago program has not only made an impact on the participating organizations, but has also made an impact on the volunteer coaches themselves. When two WSC volunteers signed up to become assistant coaches with Coach for Chicago, they weren’t sure what to expect. After making adjustments to the pilot versions of the program and relaunching it to WSC’s volunteers, there was not a significant experience base of previous volunteers to tell them what the program would be like or to answer questions such as what the time commitments would require, but they signed up anyway. And they’re glad they did.
Requel Gibson and Leslie Cervantes each volunteered at a school within the United Neighborhood Organization’s Charter School Network (UNO Charter Schools). Requel became the assistant coach of the girls basketball team at Octavio Paz and, due to a lack of head coaches, Leslie became the head coach of the girls’ basketball team at SPC Daniel Zizumbo. Each team was made up of 6th, 7th and 8th grade girls with varying skill levels and experience.
Both volunteers were eager to get started, but not without some initial concerns. One of Requel's biggest reservations about volunteering as an assistant youth coach was the time commitment. She was worried that her regular work schedule would conflict with the practice and game times of the youth teams. However, she went to her interview with UNO Charter Schools’ Athletic Director, Matt Smith, to see what could work. To her surprise, he could not have been more accommodating. Matt offered Requel a couple of options. First, he explained to her that the assistant coaching position was only one night per week for six weeks and even offered to give her team the later practice time, as not to conflict with her normal work hours. Second, he offered her the opportunity to host a one night, three hour, league-wide skills clinic for all of the girls’ basketball teams within the UNO Charter Schools. After weighing both options, Requel determined she would be able to be an assistant coach and host the skills clinic, thanks to the flexibility Matt Smith and the UNO Charter Schools were able to provide. Leslie, on the other hand, had different concerns. As the team’s head coach, she at fist felt slightly overwhelmed at the prospect, not having coached in a few years. But, as she quickly gathered, most of the girls had never played basketball before, so she developed a game plan. Leslie would teach the girls the basic fundamentals of the game, the importance of being part of a team and healthy, fun competition.
After getting past their initial concerns, both volunteers gained more from this experience than they ever could have imagined. The most memorable moment, Requel recalls, was the tremendous impact she was able to have on one particular player. She was an 8th grader and easily the best athlete on the team, yet some days she would come and play her hardest, while others she only gave fifty percent. Requel decided to sit down with the girl one-on-one to find out why this was happening. She told the player what an exceptional athlete she was and that she had a true gift. She told her that if she worked hard, not only would she make her high school team the following year, but she would be able to compete with the best teams in the league. After only five minutes, Requel knew something she said to this girl “clicked.” What Requel realized was that no one had ever told this player, “You can do it!” or “You are capable of being the best,” or “I am proud of you.” Those simple words were all it took for this player’s whole attitude to change. In the practices and games to follow, Requel saw great improvement. She truly was proud of everything her team had accomplished.
Similar to Requel, Leslie felt like more than a coach to the girls, she felt like a mentor. Not only was she teaching them the fundamentals of a sport, but she was teaching them how to play as a team, how to encourage and support one another and to always be a good sport. As with trying any new activity for the first time, there can be insecurities or fear, but Leslie let the girls know she was there for them no matter what. In the time they spent together, Leslie saw huge improvements in both the girls’ skill levels and attitudes. It was more rewarding than she ever thought.
Overall, Requel and Leslie both had great experiences with Coach for Chicago and said they would definitely be interested in participating again. One thing they wanted to stress in particular, to volunteers worried about the time commitment, is that it can be extremely flexible and if you are interested in the opportunities you should at least explore what flexibility might exist to fit your schedule. The Athletic Director at the UNO Charter Schools worked with their schedules to find the best fit for each of them. And for those volunteers worried about not having coached before or not playing at the collegiate level, having a basic knowledge of the sport and encouraging words is all you really need.
WSC would once again like to thank Requel Gibson and Leslie Cervantes for their support through the Coach for Chicago program. We would also like to thank the UNO Charter Schools Athletics program for their willingness to partner with us for Coach for Chicago.
If you are already a registered WSC volunteer and are interested in participating in Coach for Chicago, make sure to sign-up for the ‘Coach for Chicago Interest Groups’ through your volunteer profile at MyVolunteerPage.com to receive information on current assistant coaching opportunities. If you are not yet a WSC volunteer, please click the link for new volunteers and create a volunteer profile off of the WSC Volunteer Homepage.