Oakland Coach Symposium Recap

On August 10th, over 200 people came out to Oakland’s first Coach Symposium hosted by PCA’s Oakland Sport Equity Coalition. This event was dedicated to inspiring volunteer coaches, who play a crucial role in making youth sports accessible to all children, especially those in underserved communities. Through comprehensive training and direct recruitment opportunities, the symposium aimed to empower individuals to step up as volunteer coaches, ensuring more kids have the chance to participate in sports while equipping them with the skills to foster positive coaching cultures in their programs. The event was a resounding success, uniting our community of coaches, athletes, and sports professionals.

Attendees were invited to connect with 17 Oakland youth sport providers on the spot to find the coaching opportunity that aligned with their interests, availability, and location. The event then featured a dynamic panel of homegrown superstars: Jason Kidd, Antonio Davis, Leon Powe and Dr. Alexis Gray-Lawson, who gave inspiring insights into their experiences and why it’s important to give back to the community.  

Everyone then had the opportunity to attend coach workshops led by PCA and community partners with topics that ranged from coaching with empathy, building up girls+ and women+ spaces, mental fortitude, and much more. Participants left with a deeper connection to both the community and the resources available to coaches and programs through Positive Coaching Alliance and “The Town’s” youth sports coalition. Many attendees expressed a renewed commitment to addressing the disparities in sports participation and the lack of positive experiences that disproportionately impact Oakland youth.

We are grateful for the deep collaboration and dedication of so many community members, all determined to empower coaches and programs to make youth sports not only equitable and accessible for youth and families in low-income communities of color, but also a positive experience that fosters a sense of belonging for all our youth. We’re already looking forward to the next one!

To learn more about the Oakland Sport Equity Coalition and how you can empower coaches and community through sport, contact Oakland’s Community Engagement Director, Khali at [email protected].