
By: Frédéric BISSON
As warmer weather sneaks up on us, many of us are turning our attention to summer activities. Amidst camps, family reunions, vacations, conferences and retreats, and the myriad of other things that we plan to do or get done over the summer, there never really seems to be enough time in those brief 10 weeks to pack in everything we want to do. Amid all of your other activities, you may be involved in summer sports. Depending on the particular activity, you may have already begun to practice.
If you are considering coaching a sport this summer, there are many things to take into consideration. You probably know the group you want to join already, but maybe you are just looking for something fun to be involved in, either so you can get back into a sport you used to enjoy but just haven’t had time for, or so you can be involved in your child’s favorite activity. If you are looking to spend more time with friends, a spouse, or your whole family, getting involved in a club team is a great way to do it.
Look around your community to see which clubs are available. The local YMCA is a great place to start. Many religious organizations have leagues as well. Whatever the organization is that you decide to join, they will be thrilled to have you. Most of these groups are just dying to find people who want to dedicate their time to coaching a team. Make sure that there is someone in charge of the organizational and administrative side of the project. You don’t want to have a bunch of practices only to have no one to play a game against. Additionally, you want to make sure that you have adequate practice room. If you always practice at the local school gym or church building, make sure you double check to make sure that there will not be any repairs or scheduling conflicts that could leave you without a place to practice.
If you are coaching, make sure that you have appropriate activities planned. Check out sites like Tennis Drills HQ for ideas on how to teach others to play and to keep your own skills sharp. Coaching a team is a great way to make friends and stay in shape. So what are you waiting for? Find or found a local team, and get going!

