“I’ll start by saying that this higher, altruistic view of sport that has come from volunteerism is a disaster. I think it’s disgusting. And I think in the United Kingdom, particularly, that governing bodies and sports clubs manipulate—it’s maybe a strong word—manipulate the goodwill of people in the sport. And I actually think volunteerism is holding back the sport, particularly here in the UK. There’s always money for administrators, and there’s no money for coaches. And every time there’s a round of funding from UK Sport or Sport England, the organizations that get more money employ more administrators.
It’s a difficult one because ultimately, if I walk away, this may be where the governing bodies have you by the throat. If I walk away, they’ll get somebody else. If I walk away, are they bothered about the talent and knowledge drain that goes with me? And, ‘Well, it doesn’t matter because you’re not playing European or world championships. And we’ll get somebody else to do it,’ [they respond].”
Simon Loftus
Coaching Educator and Volleyball National Head Coach
What are you worth? What’s your knowledge and skills worth? When I interviewed Simon, I was shocked to learn that he was the head coach of a national team in a first-world country, coaching a popular sport, and was unpaid. He’d coached at the Olympics as a volunteer!
We love coaching, right? There are many benefits to doing what we do. We might be able to travel, do what we love, and change lives. However, there are also many costs associated with the role. Simon highlights something that coaches often find themselves stuck in. Sports organizations may take advantage of our goodwill and desire to do what we love and use that to underpay or not pay us at all.
Coaching is a profession, yet unfortunately, many don’t consider it to be. Simon makes two important points. First, money goes to the administration before it goes to the coaches. Second, coaches (one could argue, himself included) are too willing to volunteer. As coaches, we must be our own best advocates to ensure we can show a value that exceeds the parts of the job we enjoy (e.g., travel and working with people). Many vocations have those same “perks,” yet those vocations still pay.
Ask Yourself
Do I think volunteerism is holding back sports and coaching?
Am I being paid what I’m worth?
How can I better advocate for my salary (by getting one or getting a raise) and my program?
Excerpt taken from Reflections on the Coaching Life.