Buzz Morris moved to East Tennessee in 1998. He works in procurement but also works for Kingsport Parks and Recreation as a gym/field supervisor. He volunteer coaches tee ball, softball, and football. He has three children ages 13, 8, and 1 and a half and has been married for 17 years. He is a movie buff, ready and willing to discuss all things sports, and will best you in a trivia match.
He shared his perspective, as a father and coach, on the importance of youth sports. Let’s learn from his experiences together:
I truly believe kids being involved in some type of sport is important for all children. The lessons that can be learned at a young age, on the court or field, translate to adult life. Athletics teaches lifelong lessons such as respect, accountability, and teamwork. Sports involvement gives youth a chance to learn to work together with a diverse group to accomplish goals. Sports are a universal language that can bring kids from any background together to give them a sense of belonging and family that some may not experience otherwise.
From my coaching experience, I have witnessed time and time again as kids go from never playing a sport and being super shy day one of training to truly feeling a part of the team and having confidence by the end of the season. It’s amazing to see character growth during games; but personal growth off the field is even more important! I want all the kids I coach to know that I truly care about them, not just as athletes, but as kids. Hopefully, we all had some fun along the way.
As a father, it has been a great experience to watch my own children learn some very positive lessons and also some hard lessons along their athletic careers thus far. I want them to always give 100% to their teams and push them to do so. More importantly, I want them to be known as respectful, polite, good teammates. They may not be the best on the team athletically but can contribute in so many other ways. I have to remind myself that as long as they are having fun, learning from their coaches, and giving all their effort that’s all I can ask of them. It has helped my children to be involved in youth sports tremendously. As their dad, I love watching them succeed both on and off the field or court.
