The Job I’ve Been Trusted With- Part 5 "What Really Matters Most"

The last time I was a head coach, (2020) I ended up becoming a subject in Jon Anthony’s book Nothing Ruins Youth Sports Like Adults. At the time, I didn’t fully understand the weight of the situation or what it would turn into. Looking back now, I can honestly say those tough moments shaped me for the better. They forced me to examine who I was as a leader, what I wanted to stand for, and what kind of environment I wanted to create for young athletes. That experience still influences how I coach today—every practice, every conversation, every decision.

I witnessed the way adults—coaches, parents, even myself—could unintentionally make the game heavier than it ever had to be for kids.

Coming back into this role years later, those lessons feel different now. They sit in my chest. They remind me what matters.

We’ve been preparing for this season here in Madill for months. Conditioning, skill work, culture building—yes, that’s part of it. But the real work has been internal. The real preparation has been me stepping back and asking:

“What kind of experience do I want these kids to walk away with?”

“What kind of coach do I want to be for them?”

In Anthony’s book, one of the strongest messages is simple but powerful: adults can ruin sports for kids without ever meaning to. We apply pressure they never asked for. We coach out of fear instead of growth. We chase wins instead of memories. We forget that these moments — these practices, these bus rides, these games — shape how a young person sees themselves long after the season ends.

That hit me hard, because I lived pieces of that myself. I’ve been the coach who wanted everything to be perfect. The coach who let the scoreboard talk too loud. The coach who carried the world on his shoulders and didn’t realize the kids were feeling it too.

But this time… it’s different.

This time, I understand the job I’ve been trusted with.

It’s my responsibility to protect the joy of the game.

To teach confidence, not fear.

To build character, not pressure.

To make sure these players leave my program with more love for the sport—not less.

The book reminded me that youth sports aren’t about the adults on the sideline. They’re about the kids who lace up their shoes and give us everything they have. They deserve coaches who see them as humans first, athletes second. They deserve environments where mistakes are part of growth, not grounds for embarrassment. They deserve a season that lifts them, not drains them.

So as we step into this new year, my mission is clear.

We’re building a program rooted in trust. In effort. In accountability. In love for the game. We’re preparing to compete, yes — but we’re also preparing to grow. Preparing to build young people who walk out into the world confident, resilient, and proud of who they are.

And I’m ready for it.

Coach Carlos Humphrey

Madill Lady Wildcats | Beast Blog Series