Coach of the Year

Without further adieu, we are pleased to announce PCA’S 2025 COACH OF THE YEAR for the incredible impact he is making with his athletes, in and out of sports.

We reviewed hundreds of outstanding coaches, and Coach Jareem Gunter rose to the top as someone who not only positively impacts youth but also makes sports more equitable and accessible for all and is making a positive impact on his community!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate a coach or provide a reference in support of your coach. Your input is invaluable in this process, and we hope you'll consider nominating a coach again next year.

Coach Jareem built the Dream Team to go beyond traditional basketball training, emphasizing character development, sportsmanship, and community engagement. His vision was to create a space where young athletes could develop essential life skills, such as resilience, respect, and collaboration, alongside their athletic abilities.

He then developed a unique structure that includes mentorship programs, community service activities, and workshops focused on topics like leadership and goal-setting.

The Dream Team has a strong focus on literacy and with Coach Jareem's help, they wrote and published their own book, "Beyond the Jersey".

Coach Jareem's commitment to respect and fairness within the Dream Team is evident in his inclusive approach and thoughtful practices that ensure every athlete feels valued.

Coach Jareem incorporates workshops on topics like identity, empathy, and allyship, ensuring the Dream Team becomes a safe space for athletes of all backgrounds.

Click Here to Learn More

Jareem Gunter
2025 PCA Coach of the Year
Dream Team

Is your coach PCA’s next Coach of the Year?

Coaches have a unique ability to positively impact kids through sports and we want to honor youth sports coaches who are making that impact in communities across the US!

What is the PCA Coach of the Year?

The coach teaches life skills through sports.
They encourage athletes to focus on their effort and not be afraid of making mistakes, because that is how you improve.
They support athletes by focusing on positive reinforcement instead of motivating through fear, intimidation, or shame.
They promote behaving respectfully, as the best version of oneself, towards the rules of competition, officials, opponents, and teammates.
They create an environment of belonging with focus on equity and inclusion.
They work to advocate for access for all kids to play by helping remove barriers such as cost and equipment.
They display empathy and compassion in their approach to coaching.

Simply put, we call a coach with these qualities a Double-Goal Coach® - coaching to win while also pursuing the more important goal of teaching life skills through sports.

As the nominator, you will do the following:

Be the main point of contact for communications about the coach/nomination
Complete the nomination form which includes:
- Your personal contact information
- Details about your coach
- Reply to 5 essay questions
- Upload a minimum of 3 references and up to 10 references from people familiar with the coach. (At a minimum, one reference must be from a fellow coach, one must be from a current player, and one must be from the parent of a current player.)

For any questions about the awards program, please contact PCA’s Program and Events Manager, Jennie Wulbrun, jennie_wulbrun@positivecoach.org.

On approximately January 20th, 2025, 25 Finalists will be selected. On approximately January 30th, 2025, 10 National Winners will be selected from the group of 25. The 10 National Winners will each receive $500 and be mentioned on PCA’s online social media platforms.

The Coach of the Year will be selected no later than February 20th and he/she will receive $5,000 for their sports program. The COY will win an all-expenses paid trip to be featured at PCA’s Game Changer Awards and Benefit in the San Francisco Bay Area in the spring of 2025.

To be eligible for nomination, a coach must:

Have at least 3 years of coaching experience
Coach in the US.
NOT be a previous National Double-Goal Coach or Coach of the Year winner.
NOT nominate him/herself.

Click below to sign up for a reminder to nominate a coach for 2026.