Coaching Little Girls

This week I had the privilege of conducting a four-day soccer camp for 1st to 2nd-grade girls. It has been three years since I've coached girls that young. I quickly learned that lower elementary girls are quite different from middle school and high school girls. Below are ten things I learned when you are coaching 15 girls who are six and seven years old.

1.   Hot pink is a popular color.

2.   Be ready to tie a bunch of shoes.

3.   Dragonflies and moths will become more important than you.

4.   Personal space won't be considered at times.

5.   You'll get hugs and hand-drawn pictures.

6.   Water breaks are needed.

7.   Assistant coaches can be a big help.

8.   There will be tears.

9.   Little girls can get feisty.

10. Coaching little girls can be a lot of fun.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:1-3