Coach Jennifer Nix runs a passing drill with her daughter and player Shelby. Parent coaches are becoming more common at CCHS. Photo Credit KIM BRIGGS
BY BRANDON SLOANE
When Junior Shelby Nix was a sophomore, the girl’s volleyball team found themselves without a coach for the upcoming season. When Shelby arrived at the first volleyball practice, she discovered, much to her surprise, that the coaching position was filled by her mother, Jennifer Nix. Shelby was both excited and nervous about having her parent coach her on a sport team. But she is not alone, Jennifer Nix is one of the many parent coaches at Cooper City High School.
Coaching the school team is a way for parents to connect with their kids in a completely different way. But that isn’t the only reason these parents dedicate their free time to help coach high school sports teams. They also do it for the love of the sport. When junior Ashley Nichols joined the cross country team, her father, Bob Nichols, who already had experience coaching cross country, decided to help out and take over the team.
“I have always enjoyed cross country and I have a position at work that allows me to determine my own schedule.” Coach Bob Nichols said.
Having a parent as a coach can be very beneficial for a player. For instance, it gives them the advantage of being around someone who often is knowledgeable in the sport that they play. This means that the other players on the team can look to you for leadership and advice.
“Whenever some of the kids are confused about things, I am someone that they can ask for help because they know that my mom has taught me a lot about volleyball,” Nix said.
An expectation to succeed is another thing that comes with having your parent as a coach. Parents know their child’s athletic ability better than anyone else because they have watched them play since the beginning. And because of this, parent coaches know how their kids should perform and they push them to meet the expectations.
“Shelby is a very experienced year-round volleyball player,” Coach Jennifer Nix said. “The expectation from me is that all of her plays need to be good plays to help out the team.”
As many CCHS students will tell you, they don’t usually see eye-to-eye with their parents. But these parent coaches and their kids have grown strong bonds. The teens have even learned some things about their parents that they didn’t know before.
“When my mom started to coach volleyball, I learned how calm she was,” Shelby Nix said. “That really made practice fun since we were never stressed.”
These parents love to coach their kids, but eventually they graduate and move on to college. So the big question is: will the parents continue to coach the teams after their kids graduate? They are often asked to continue to coach because they are so knowledgeable in the sport they coach and they are liked to their players. But often, they have a passion for coaching that propels them to continue even after their kids go away to school.
“My son will be an incoming freshman next year to CCHS, so I would like to say that I will continue to coach as long as he is there,” Coach Nix said. “However, I never know what will happen once Shelby leaves for college.”
The one thing that all of these coaches can agree on is how rewarding it is to coach their children in a sport. Not only does it help make their relationship stronger, but it also helps them grow as a parent.
. I’ve learned over years that the important part of coaching really isn’t about the sport itself.” Coach Nichols Said. “Years after the competitions are over; the student athletes will seldom remember the outcome. They however and will remember the bond that was created with other athletes, how they dealt with adversity, that hard work andself-discipline will be important in their adult life. It’s is really about life lessons and sports are simply the vehicle.”
Coaching is a positive experience because its lets you bond with your players and you can learn about them and learn about yourself. And if you are ever lucky enough to coach your child, it is something that you shouldn’t pass up.
