You played sports growing up. Maybe you coached your own kid’s rec league team. Maybe you never coached at all but you know you have something to give. Either way, you have thought about volunteering — and you should.
Los Angeles has thousands of young people who need mentors, and volunteer youth sports coaches are some of the most impactful mentors a kid can have. Here is everything you need to know to get started.
Why Volunteer Coaching Matters
In Los Angeles County, over 30% of children live in low-income households. Many of these kids have limited access to organized sports, positive adult role models, and structured after-school activities. A volunteer coach fills all three gaps at once.
Research from the Positive Coaching Alliance shows that the coach-athlete relationship is one of the most significant developmental relationships in a young person’s life — ranked alongside parents and teachers. A good coach can change a child’s trajectory.
What It Takes
You do not need a coaching license, a sports science degree, or a professional playing career. What you need is:
- Reliability — Kids need adults who show up consistently
- Patience — You will explain the same drill twelve times. That is the job
- Enthusiasm — Your energy sets the tone for every practice
- Willingness to learn — Good coaches are always learning, whether it is new drills, safety protocols, or communication techniques
- A genuine interest in young people — This is not about reliving your glory days. It is about investing in someone else’s future
Coach With Fundamental Sports Labs
Fundamental Sports Labs doesn’t run its own leagues or events. Instead, in 2027 it will pilot sessions inside the programs kids already attend, such as after-school programs, rec centers and clubs in South LA and Inglewood. Each session will start with the sport the program already plays. Then kids will use their own game to learn money skills, how to question AI and how to handle pressure.
FSL’s coaches won’t be volunteers. They will be trained, screened college students, and they will be paid. If you coach with FSL, you can expect:
- Pay as FSL staff or through campus Work-Study, never as an independent contractor
- A schedule built around your classes, and training before day one
- A California DOJ background check and child-abuse reporting training before working with kids
- Two coaches at every session, with the program’s own staff in the room
Each session will run 45 to 60 minutes.
The Background Check Process
Every reputable youth sports organization requires background checks for volunteers. This is non-negotiable. If an organization does not require a background check, that is a red flag.
At FSL, the process will be straightforward:
- Join the coach list — Open to college students
- Background check — A California DOJ background check
- Complete training — Child-abuse reporting training and coach training before day one
- Start coaching — With a second coach and the program’s own staff in the room
Other Volunteer Opportunities in LA
- AYSO (American Youth Soccer Organization) — Volunteer-run soccer leagues across LA; all coaches are volunteers
- Little League Baseball — Local leagues rely heavily on volunteer coaches and umpires
- Special Olympics Southern California — Coaching athletes with intellectual disabilities
- Police Athletic League (PAL) — Volunteer coaching in partnership with LAPD
- LA City Parks and Recreation — Seasonal volunteer opportunities at park-based sports leagues
The Impact on You
Volunteering is not just about what you give. Coaches consistently report that volunteering:
- Gives them a sense of purpose and community connection
- Reduces their own stress and improves their mental health
- Builds leadership and communication skills that transfer to their careers
- Creates relationships that last years beyond the season
- Reminds them why sports mattered in the first place
Get Started Today
Los Angeles has kids who need you. Not tomorrow. Not next season. Now.
If you’re a college student, join the coach list to coach with FSL. Or contact us to learn more about coaching opportunities.
If you are not able to coach but still want to help, consider donatingto support FSL’s sessions for kids in Los Angeles.