Expressing gratitute for those who volunteer to coach

Thanksgiving Day is a time to reflect upon and express our gratitude for the numerous gifts with which we have been blessed in our lives.

It would be nice to have a beautiful house, a powerful sports car, or millions of dollars, but those material comforts don’t produce happiness that is meaningful. And, if you think about it, most of the things we hold closest to our hearts are those which come without spending a dime.

Those of us in the Maine sports community must also count our blessings. We are fortunate to have hundreds of volunteer coaches in various sports.

These volunteers, who dedicate their time and knowledge in Little League baseball, Pop Warner football, youth soccer, youth hockey and other sports, are the backbone of Maine’s athletic future.

Today’s high school, college and professional athletes could not possibly have attained their current status without the contributions of volunteer coaches, whose efforts likely have been long since forgotten.

I have no idea what the extent of my oldest son’s sports participation will be in the future. But, I do know that because of two conscientious volunteer coaches, his first experience in soccer will be memorable.

When I enrolled my son in the Bangor YMCA/Bangor Parks and Recreation Department’s youth soccer program in September, I really didn’t know what to expect. William had had expressed an interest to try it and was placed on a team.

Jerry Ellis of Bangor had offered to coach the Kicks, one of the teams in the kindergarten-first grade division. Organizers had selected the teams based on city geography, which meant the youngsters played with other kids from their neighborhoods or schools.

Larry Mahoney (you may know him as the NEWS’ veteran sports writer) also volunteered his time to help out Ellis with the coaching chores. He added another source of input for the kids and a healthy dose of enthusiasm.

Initially, the coaches may have gotten involved in the program to spend some quality time with their own children. Yet, it didn’t take long to see that they were committed to the athletic enrichment of each of the players.

Coaches Ellis and Mahoney broke the game down into its most basic aspects, teaching the 12 members of the team the fundamentals of soccer during a weekly practice session. Despite the fact that each had a son playing on the team, all of the kids were given equal treatment.

The coaches were also lucky to be heading up a dozen remarkably cooperative and enthusiastic boys and girls. It was obvious that the kids respected their coaches because of their willingness to learn and the success with which they responded.

Sportsmanship was stressed from the outset by the coaches. There were no attitude problems or displays of poor sportsmanship among the team members.

Perhaps the most important aspect of the team was the emphasis Ellis and Mahoney made on having fun. They encouraged the kids to play their best and stressed hustle and determination.

The results were startling. Although it must be pointed out that the YMCA league was not geared toward winning and losing, Ellis and Mahoney produced winners.

The Kicks won all seven of their games. During the course of the season, the kids developed a true sense of pride and accomplishment. They felt good about themselves.

The commitment and caring shown by Jerry Ellis and Larry Mahoney will have a lasting impact in the minds of the children who played for them this fall. Members of the Kicks were: Ryan Allen, Jeff Anderson, Katie Anderson, Matthew Bryant, Emily Capehart, Ryan Curry, Lucas Ellis, Matt Jarrell, Andrew Mahoney, Andy Scott, Chrissie Scott and William Warner.

In the future, when they think about sports, they may reflect on their positive experience with the Kicks. Hopefully, they won’t forget their coaches and their parents, who supported them all the way.

Thanks Jerry and Larry.

Happy Thanksgiving!