Why am I doing this?
Growing up, I was child number 4 of 8. With a new addition to the family almost every year, we moved often, which meant I attended five different elementary schools.
This constant change shaped me in many ways. I became great at navigating new environments, but not so great at creating and fostering deep emotional relationships or lasting friendships.
This is where sports came in.
Sports make up 90% of my childhood memories. Whether it was formal practices and games or just playing whatever we could think of at home or during lunch at school, sports were always there. I was always above average, and I managed to turn that into a decent, if unremarkable, college basketball career.
Sports were where I felt most comfortable. I suspect humans naturally feel at ease doing things they’re good at, and I loved every sport (a trait I now see in my own kids, but I digress). Because it was where I felt most at ease, it was also where I pushed myself the most. We’ve all seen those images of athletes putting in long hours in the gym, weight room, or on the track, and that was me. But, more importantly, I was also forced to be around other people, and I had to learn to gain their trust if we were to succeed as a team.
So there I was, with minimal social bonding skills from my formative years, yet often finding myself in leadership roles on most teams. What choice did I have but to get better at being a leader, a teammate, a friend?
Of course, I say all this with the benefit of hindsight. At the time, I had no clue I was working on anything other than my sports skills. But looking back, I can clearly remember awkward conversations and forcing myself to join in formal and informal team-building activities just so I could fit in, earn my teammates’ respect, and make us a better unit.
Most importantly, these experiences have served me more as an adult than I could have imagined—professionally, as a parent, as a husband, and in my efforts to build meaningful friendships.
This realization helped me understand the true power of sport.
I’m still competitive. I get chills watching epic sporting moments, and I still get frustrated thinking about how we lost to our rival school in my grade 12 basketball season, 22 years ago. But all of my competitive sports achievements and memories pale in comparison to the substantial personal growth I achieved in what we used to call “soft skills” but now more accurately refer to as “life” or “leadership” skills.
This is why I coach youth sports. This is why I am the Camp Director for 2-4-1 Sports New West.
I want every kid to have the chance to grow and become a better person, and I believe the best avenue for that is through team sports.
Yes, they learn to run, jump, and throw. But they also learn how to handle failure, work with a teammate they may not like, compete against a friend, navigate conflict to improve, and appreciate the importance of communication. These are the skills that matter in the “real world.” These are the lessons that build grit, perseverance, and a sense of achievement and pride.
I coach because I see too many adults pushing kids to specialize. I coach because 99.999% of the kids I meet will never make a penny playing sports, but they can grow and become better humans through it. I coach because, at its core, I believe great coaches can make the world a better place.
I don’t consider myself a great coach, but the perseverance and determination forged in me as a young athlete (along with maybe a bit of my competitiveness) have taught me that if I keep showing up, approach each season with humility, and strive to improve, then maybe—just maybe—I can help make the world a better place.
About Geoffrey Lenahan
Geoff grew up in a family of 8, including being the middle of 5 boys. Many days were spent playing whatever the sport of the month happened to be, and always fighting hard to keep up with his older siblings. He also played organized baseball, soccer, basketball, and football (and street hockey whenever possible). In college, he played 4 years of basketball, where he was also named team captain in his final seasons. He then picked up rugby, and later tennis, and knows he will be an avid life-long athlete. He went on to earn a Master of Arts degree in Leadership, which built the foundation for his passion of using sport as a key tool for critical life skill development in youth. He has used these skills to inform and direct his 6 years of coaching youth soccer and basketball. Like his wife Sandra, he works hard to pass along his love of playing and movement to their 4 kids and as many of the neighborhood kids, as well.