By Matt Browning
The way Sarah Hinshaw saw it, she was driving her kids to practices and games countless numbers of times, so why not get into coaching at the YMCA?
“Why not be fully engaged in the moment?” Hinshaw said. “Investing time in my children’s activities, stepping into their world, and prioritizing them is something I will never regret doing.”
Hinshaw has been coaching basketball at the YMCA since 2021 and trying to balance that with homeschooling her children, as well as teaching at the homeschool co-op.
There were times where she felt like coaching wasn’t her thing, but that never detoured her from volunteering and she would encourage others who feel the same, to jump into it anyways.
“The reality is that most of us will never feel qualified to be a coach,” Hinshaw said. “I’d encourage you to take a step of faith, keep a positive attitude, and enjoy the ride. You won’t regret it.”
Some of Hinshaw’s favorite memories have nothing to do with results and more about seeing her kids try hard and improve throughout the course of the season.
“When I started coaching, I believe the basketball program was new to our location,” Hinshaw said. “None of my players had any experience. We had to start with the very basics: dribbling, passing, rules, etc. With only one practice before our first game, it was pure chaos. To say that the first year was hard would be an understatement. Though we improved greatly by the end of the season, according to the scoreboard we lost every game. However, my kids are truly the most amazing humans and they kept their heads held high the entire season.”
