Photo © Matimix | Dreamstime.com
The vast majority (88 percent) of youth sports coaches who participate in specialized coach training feel more competent and effective in their roles. That’s the initial big takeaway from an ongoing Million Coaches Challenge study. What’s more, 94 percent of participants agree that all coaches would benefit from foundational training in youth development practices that include creating safe environments and fostering relationships with athletes.
The Million Coaches Challenge (MCC) and its partners seek to “grow a generation of coaches trained in youth development,” with the goal of training one million coaches by the end of 2025. SDM first covered this issue in early 2025.
MCC, supported by the Susan Crown Exchange, unveiled results of its “Winning Beyond the Game Preliminary Findings From the Million Coaches Challenge Implementation Study” at the Aspen Institute's Project Play Summit in March. Preliminary findings from the American Institutes for Research (AIR) highlight the benefits of specialized coach training on youth sports and athlete development while demonstrating how partners are improving youth sports by training coaches in youth development practices and establishing a common standard for defining what constitutes a “good” coach. The complete study is set to be published in 2026.
“Coach training is essential to creating quality sports experiences, and we envision a world in which all young athletes, regardless of their family’s income, their gender, their race or their ability status, have access to coaches who are well-versed in youth development and skill-building techniques that help kids succeed on and off the field,” MCC states.
Other findings from the study include:
• 93 percent of coaches reported heightened confidence in their coaching abilities after participating in MCC partner trainings.
• 67 percent of coaches observed that their athletes experienced increased joy in their sport, while 71% believe the training contributed to better athlete retention rates.
• As of December 31, 2024, MCC partners have successfully trained 730,985 coaches — well on track to achieve the goal of one million trained coaches by the end of 2025.
Challenges in coach training stem from systemic barriers and insufficient funding, which threaten quality education, according to MCC officials. The implementation study highlights obstacles and opportunities in youth sports and reveals why coordinated efforts across research, practice and policy are crucial. To that end, the preliminary report offers five key recommendations to strengthen youth sports:
1. Define, operationalize and adopt a minimum standard or framework for what it means to be a “good” coach in the United States.
2. Review trainings available in the field to ensure they reflect what it means to be a “good” and “trained” coach.
3. Expand access to high-quality, comprehensive training.
4. Invest in coaches.
5. Develop a shared research-practice agenda and prioritize systematic, shared measurement efforts to understand the coaching landscape and document coach development and effectiveness.
MCC partners include the National Recreation and Park Association, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, the Positive Coaching Alliance, the U.S. Soccer Foundation, the California Governor’s Advisory Council on Physical Fitness and Mental Well-being, Girls on the Run International, Little League International, LIFEsports at The Ohio State University and the Aspen Institute’s Project Play.
Perhaps some of the most resounding findings from the preliminary study were comments from coaches, who cited the impact of their training:
“By mixing up the partnerships at practice with kids who don’t typically spend time together or partner up together, they get to know others more in depth. I have seen multiple new friendships grow between kids who wouldn’t normally partner up and are even friends now in school,” one coach said.
“[The training] has given me the opportunity to think of coaching from different perspectives. The most important [perspective] has been from the player’s point of view. [The training] has allowed me to connect with players,” added another.
The Aspen Institute’s State of Play 2024 report (based on interviews with youth sports leaders, along with research and existing data) identified the top five coaching trends. Topping the list was parents valuing trustworthy and trained coaches. In fact, about six in 10 parents surveyed believed that “trained coaches are better qualified to address several important areas associated with their child’s sports experience, such as offering a consistent coaching approach, teaching new skills, adapting to the individual needs of children and demonstrating dedication to child wellbeing.”
The report also noted that adults 55 and older have returned to the sidelines to help coach youth sports teams. Additionally, most coaches have been trained at least once, but those trainings are less frequently. State leaders also are increasingly recognizing the value of mental health training for coaches.
About the Author
