One Million Coaches, Millions of Kids: A Milestone for the Future of Youth Sports
When we launched the Million Coaches Challenge (MCC) in 2021, our vision at the Susan Crown Exchange was both simple and bold: to transform the youth sports experience by training one million coaches in youth development practices.
We knew that behind every great sports moment is a coach supporting their athlete. And we knew that too often, coaches are asked to step into one of the most influential roles in a child’s life without the training, resources, or support they need.
So, we set a big goal, and today we are proud to share that the goal has been met. One million coaches have now been trained in youth development.
Why This Matters
Across the country, more than 38 million kids play organized sports every year. Sports can be a powerful force for confidence, resilience, belonging, and joy, but only when coaches are prepared to support kids as whole people.
Thanks to the Million Coaches Challenge and its 18 national and statewide partners:
- 1 million coaches have received training to help kids win on and off the field.
- 93% of trained coaches say they are more confident.
- 94% believe every coach would benefit from training.
- Athletes coached by MCC-trained coaches report more joy (67%), stronger friendships (63%), and a greater likelihood of staying in the game (71%).
These numbers are powerful. But behind them are countless stories: a coach who takes time to listen, a team that grows closer, a young person who chooses to stay in sports because they feel seen and supported.
This is what investing in coaches makes possible.
Gratitude for Our Partners
This milestone belongs to more than the Susan Crown Exchange. It belongs to the coaches who embraced new practices, the athletes and families who share their stories, and the 18 partner organizations who enthusiastically worked to train and equip coaches across every level of sport, including:
- The California Governor’s Advisory Council on Physical Fitness and Mental Well-being
- The Center for Healing & Justice through Sport
- CoachUp! Washington
- Girls on the Run International
- How to Coach Kids
- Laureus Sport for Good USA
- LiFEsports at The Ohio State University and the Ohio High School Athletic Association
- Little League International
- MCC State Learning Cohort of Maryland, Indiana, and Kansas, facilitated by LiFEsports at The Ohio State University in partnership with the OHSAA
- National Recreation and Park Association
- Positive Coaching Alliance
- U.S. Soccer Foundation
- United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee
- USA Fencing, USA Triathlon, and USA Weightlifting
From community leagues to national associations, from state-led initiatives to local nonprofits, this was a collective effort. Together, we have proven that when the field unites around a bold vision, transformative change is possible.
What Comes Next
The milestone of one million coaches is not the end of the story, it is the beginning of the next chapter. Alongside this achievement, we are proud to launch two new resources to carry the work forward:
- A Practice Guide for Youth Coaches: 12 Coaching Strategies to Support Positive Youth Development — Practical, evidence-based strategies that every coach can use right away to strengthen the experience for kids.
- The Calls to Action: A Vision for Youth Sports Coaching in the United States — A shared vision for systemic change, spanning insights, narrative, organizational practice, and policy.
Together, these resources provide the tools and roadmap to make quality coaching the standard, not the exception.
And in early 2026, the final Implementation Study Report, authored by American Institutes for Research, will capture lessons learned, ensuring that the momentum of this movement translates into a blueprint for lasting impact.
Looking Ahead
At the Susan Crown Exchange, we believe that when we invest in coaches, we invest in kids, in communities, and in the future of sport.
The Million Coaches Challenge proves that large-scale, collective action is possible, and powerful. But there is more work ahead. We are grateful to the coaches, partners, and changemakers who made this milestone possible. And we are excited for what comes next, together.
Learn more about the Million Coaches Challenge, explore the Practice Guide, and read the Calls to Action: millioncoaches.org.