Margaret Koenig, who coaches for Hood River Youth Lacrosse, has won Positive Coaching Alliance’s coveted Double-Goal Coach Award presented by TeamSnap for her positive impact on youth athletes.
Koenig is one of 50 national recipients of the Double-Goal Coach award, named for coaches who strive to win while also pursuing the more important goal of teaching life lessons through sports. The award includes a $200 prize, a certificate, and mention within the websites and newsletters of Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), a national non-profit developing Better Athletes, Better People through youth and high school sports.
“Margaret helps her athletes win on and off the field,” said Ben Dudley, Executive Director of PCA-Portland, the local Chapter of Positive Coaching Alliance. “By creating a positive, character-building youth sports experience and serving as a Double-Goal Coach, Margaret helps youth develop into better athletes and better people.”
Koenig, who coaches 11-to-13-year-olds, strives to prepare them for high school lacrosse, rather than emphasizing wins at their current level of play. She also brings to bear her background as a psychologist. “How do you reach every kid? At some level you do reach every kid. Now, we don’t reach every kid in the way that we want, every single time, but it’s so fun to figure out, for example, which player gets motivated when I pull her aside and give her some feedback, and which one gets more motivated by getting kudos in front of the whole team.”
Such an approach to coaching illustrates the role sports can play in the development of youth, Dudley said. “Our Chapter’s employees, board and supporters are thrilled that Margaret is getting national recognition for her work with Hood River Youth Lacrosse. Having Margaret as an award-winning Double-Goal Coach in our community provides an example for other coaches to emulate, so thousands more youth and high school athletes in our area can benefit from a positive, character-building sports experience.”
List of national winners of PCA’s Double-Goal Coach Award Presented by TeamSnap.
