People volunteer for sports leagues for as many reasons as there are individual personalities. Hopefully most of the people will genuinely want to serve. Others may feel a sense of obligation because they have a child or youth involved in the sport. And with youth leagues in desperate need of volunteers, some may even feel pressured into serving.

Some volunteers want to feel like a part of the community. Newcomers to a city or town often want to meet people and make friends. And what better way to do that than to get involved and volunteer at their local sports complex. Those who live alone might be fighting a sense of loneliness or miss the days when they had children at home involved in youth sports leagues. Volunteering is a good way to accomplish both goals.

Volunteer coordinators and league officials can help volunteers feel valued and like they are a part of the team by introducing them to staff or fellow volunteers who are like-minded. A volunteer looking for connection that is subsequently ignored and asked to volunteer alone will not stick around for long! Retired professionals often volunteer to pass wisdom on to the next generation and teach the valuable life skills they learned while playing youth sports. Valuing and treating them with respect will ensure that they flourish in whatever capacity they serve.

Discovering your volunteers’ motivations will help you know them better, manage them better, and get more out of them! And motivating your volunteers can help you better meet their expectations, making their experience better—and their willingness to continue more likely.

For more information on screening your volunteers visit Protect Youth Sports