As children of all ages take the field for spring sports, many volunteer coaches are working hard to make sure Pelham’s young athletes get the most out of their playing experience.
Volunteer coaches are the backbone of Pelham Parks and Recreation’s youth sports leagues, and more people are always needed to step up to the plate. Jared Thornton and Charlie Sanders coordinate volunteers for the various programs offered by Pelham Parks and Recreation. “Without all of our volunteers, these kids wouldn’t be able to play. Someone has to be the coach and teach and mentor these kids about the game. Our staff can’t do it all, so having these volunteers step up to coach is important. We are grateful to have a great community with volunteers who are willing to spend their precious time to be there for the kids,” said Thornton.
Richard Poff has been a Pelham youth baseball and basketball coach for about two years. “There are zero reasons not to become a volunteer and a thousand reasons to become one. You can’t possibly imagine what rewards are waiting for you until you walk through that door. It’s an experience that is beyond compare.”
Michael Yonosko currently coaches the 9-10-year-old Pelham Pirates baseball team. He has coached nine seasons of youth baseball. “Without volunteers, there is no baseball. We run on volunteers,” he said.
Katie Augsburger, who is the mother of five boys, has practically lived at the ballpark during her 12 years in Pelham. She says she volunteers as a team mom as a way to give back. “I grew up playing sports, but I came from a family of eight kids. My parents couldn’t always be there for my games, and I always remember those parents who cheered for me like I was their own.” She explained that as a child, there always seemed to be a mom around who had everything that might be needed during a game – from snacks to homerun stickers to bandages. “Whatever we needed was in their never-ending bag of surprises,” Augsburger remembered. “Now, I’m grateful to give back and pour into these little ones as others did for me.”
Coaches like Poff and Yonosko say they volunteered to be directly involved with the activities of their sons’ teams. “That, and my extremely fond memories of playing sports when I was growing up. Even though I am 52, I still remember a lot of the great coaches I had, and how much fun it was being on their teams,” said Poff. While prior experience as a coach is not a requirement for Pelham youth sports, most head coaches played the sport during childhood, high school, and even college, or at least have a working knowledge of the sport. “I feel like I can pass the best parts of my personal experience on to my son’s team. I’m thrilled to have the chance to volunteer,” Poff added. “Being a coach is like a time travel machine. It always takes me back to my playing days.”
Both men acknowledge coaching a youth team requires a time commitment of six to seven hours a week for a sport like spring baseball. Yonosko said as a small business owner, his schedule allows for more flexibility than many working parents. “You must have the time, availability, and willingness to do the job. It’s my pleasure to put in a few extra hours if it means being able to offer a better product to the kids and families that participate.”
When asked about the challenges many youth coaches face, Poff said, in his experience with Pelham organizations, true problems are few and far between. “Pelham Parks and Recreation makes it super-easy (for coaches). They have everything you need and are extremely organized and well-led. Most of what I face are not big challenges. It’s sort of like driving to the beach or Disney World. (The long drive) is a small price to pay for a big reward.”
Yonosko said one of his biggest challenges as a coach is something that is simply a circumstance surrounding world events. “The Covid-19 pandemic has thrown some unexpected curveballs for coaches. We’ve lost players for extended periods due to quarantines. Then there are the ever-changing guidelines surrounding Covid-19 protocols.” But the biggest impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, in Yonosko’s opinion, is the financial struggle for many governing organizations of youth sports, causing some to go bankrupt. “We’ve had to switch governing bodies four times in the past two years. It doesn’t seem like a big deal, but each organization has its own set of playing rules and particular requirements for equipment. Each time we switch, parents are asked to go out and buy new bats and other equipment to fit the guidelines of each organization. That cost can add up over time, and many parents struggle to afford it.”
But even with the struggles of the global pandemic, local volunteers feel participation in sports is a constant for the well-being of our young people. “I see team sports as one of the most beneficial activities a youth can participate in,” said Michael Yonosko. Richard Poff concurred. “The friendships and bonds deriving from participation in a team sport are almost immediately noticeable at school, in the community, and on the playing field.”
Once a child enrolls to participate in one of many of Pelham’s youth sports offerings, he or she will be taught and guided by not only the dedicated coaches and other volunteers in the Parks and Recreation programs, but they will also have a chance to take advantage of the synergy between youth sports and Pelham City Schools. For example, Yonosko explained youth wrestling is a first-year offering for Pelham Parks and Recreation. One reason the opportunity exists is the program has piggybacked off the success of the Pelham High School program. Similarly, the Pelham High School baseball team recently hosted a youth baseball clinic. Youngsters had a chance to work with coaches and players on hitting and fielding. Pelham High School’s varsity and junior varsity cheerleaders host a cheer camp each summer to kick off practice for youth cheer squads. A child who begins in Pelham’s youth sports programs can hone his or her skills for high school and beyond. “One of my favorite things is going to high school games and seeing the kids that I’ve coached years before performing on a bigger stage,” said Yonosko.
Pelham youth sports offerings currently include basketball, baseball, t-ball, softball, volleyball, soccer, cheerleading, football, flag football, Smart Start Sports, wrestling, and coming this summer, e-sports. If you are even remotely interested in an opportunity to serve the Pelham community and our youth, Yonosko has this bit of advice: “Don’t wait until you think you’re ready to start. Just dive in! There are so many roles from assistant coaching to team mom that are great starting points to get in and learn the ropes. I assisted for three seasons before I signed up to head coach. You probably have no idea how many extra hours your kid’s coach is putting in on his own. The extra help, and sometimes even just the offer, means more to us that you’ll know.”
As a team mom, Katie Augsburger is certainly quick to offer that extra help. “If I take care of the behind-the-scenes stuff like organizing the concession stand or press box schedules, providing parents with t-shirt designs, and other things coaches need, they can focus on just that – coaching our boys!” She also mentioned the family atmosphere that comes with being part of the team. “I’ve had the chance to meet and get to know, not only my boys’ friends but their parents as well. Some of them I wouldn’t have met otherwise.”
And if someone is worried about failure, Michael Yonosko puts it into perspective. “A successful coach isn’t judged by the number of trophies won, but by how many players return the next season. I set the goal early on that I want every one of my players to sign up for baseball the next year. It’s amazing how many seemingly difficult decisions that arise during a season become easy when you keep that goal in the front of your mind.”
Besides volunteer coaches and parents, Pelham Parks and Recreation’s Jared Thornton wanted to raise awareness for an additional need related to youth sports. “Another shortage we are experiencing is the need for sports officials. This is a paid opportunity. If anyone wants to learn more on how to become a referee or official, we can direct you to outside organizations that we use to staff our games. Like volunteers, without officials, we can’t hold our games, and the kids can’t play.”
No experience is necessary to volunteer as a coach or team parent with Pelham Parks and Recreation. If you are interested, please email Jared Thornton or Charlie Sanders to learn more. Pelham Parks and Recreation also needs volunteers for park events. Email Alicia Walters for more information.