A well-trained coach can transform a young athlete’s experience—building confidence, resilience, and a lifelong love for the game. Yet across the U.S., coaching remains under-supported, under-trained, and fragmented. The Million Coaches Challenge (MCC) Partners are changing that.
Preliminary findings from the MCC Implementation Study highlight the influence of coach training:
- 93% of coaches agreed training had an influence on building their confidence.
- 94% believe all coaches should receive foundational youth development training.
- 71% of coaches believe that their participation in training positively influenced athlete retention and made athletes more likely to return.
But there’s still work to do. MCC Partners recommend five key actions to strengthen the youth sport field:
- Define what makes a good coach and adopt a national framework.
- Ensure coach training reflects best practices.
- Expand access to high-quality, comprehensive training.
- Strengthen policy and systems to support and professionalize coaches.
- Improve research and measurement of coaching effectiveness.
