Culture starts at the top. Coaches create team culture, but leaders create organizational culture. The priorities, expectations, and messages leaders communicate influence what coaches value and ultimately shape the caring climate and athlete experience they create. If leaders prioritize winning above all else, coaches will feel pressure to do the same. If the expectations leaders communicate suggest athlete well-being, belonging, and development, coaches are more likely to create environments where these goals are supported.
Culture is not created through mission statements alone. It is created through the decisions leaders make, the conversations they have, and the expectations they establish.
Many organizations hire coaches based primarily on technical knowledge and competitive success. While those qualities matter, they are only part of the equation.
A coach's ability to build relationships, communicate effectively, and create a caring environment can have just as much impact on athlete outcomes as their knowledge of the sport.
Girls who have caring, trusting relationships with their coaches are significantly more likely to love their sport and intend to continue participating. (Zarrett, N., Veliz, P., & Sabo, D. 2018). Leaders who prioritize hiring coaches who are strong in relationship building, increase the likelihood that athletes will experience the kind of environment that encourages long-term participation.
The most successful coach is not always the one who knows the most about the sport. Often, it is the one who cares the most about the people.
Creating a caring climate requires emotional energy, intentionality, and skill. Coaches cannot pour into athletes if they feel unsupported themselves.
Leaders play an important role in ensuring coaches have access to meaningful education, mentorship, resources, and encouragement. Leaders can create opportunities for coaches to collaborate, learn from one another, and discuss challenges openly.
When coaches feel respected, appreciated, and supported, they are better equipped to create the same experience for athletes.
Many organizations track participation numbers, wins and losses, registrations, fundraising goals, and competitive outcomes. These metrics provide valuable information, but they don't tell the whole story.
How often do organizations measure belonging? How often do they ask athletes whether they feel supported? How often is feedback gathered about coach-athlete relationships or overall athlete experience?
If organizations want to create caring climates, they must intentionally evaluate the factors that contribute to those environments. What gets measured often becomes what matters.
Think about the coaches who receive recognition in your organization. What are they being celebrated for? Championships? Tournament appearances? Winning percentages? Or are they being recognized for building confidence, creating belonging, supporting athlete growth, and developing positive team cultures?
Recognition sends a powerful message about what an organization values. When leaders celebrate coaches who prioritize the whole athlete, they reinforce the importance of creating caring environments.
Some leaders view athlete well-being and competitive success as separate goals. In reality, they are deeply connected.
Athletes perform better when they feel safe. They learn more when they feel supported. They stay engaged when they feel valued.They persist through challenges when they feel connected.
Creating a caring climate is not about lowering standards or reducing expectations. It is about creating the conditions that allow athletes to reach their potential. Performance and care do not have to be competing priorities.
If you asked the girls in your organization whether they feel seen, heard, valued, and supported, what would they say? More importantly, how would you know? Girls may never know your name. They may never attend a board meeting or leadership retreat. They may never understand the countless decisions that happen behind the scenes.
But they experience the impact of those decisions every day. As a leader, you may not coach every athlete. Yet you help create the conditions that shape every athlete's experience. And that may be one of the most important leadership responsibilities of all.
References:
Zarrett, N., Veliz, P., & Sabo, D. (2018). Coaching Through a Gender Lens: Maximizing Girls' Play and Potential. Women's Sports Foundation.