One Million Coaches Trained and a Bold Vision Launched for Youth Sports

Million Coaches Challenge Partners Celebrate Milestone with New Resources for the Field

CHICAGO, Oct. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Million Coaches Challenge (MCC) today announced a milestone shaping youth sports: one million youth coaches across the United States have been trained in evidence-based youth development practices.

Launched in 2021 by the Susan Crown Exchange, MCC brought together 18 partner organizations to address a critical gap: fewer than one-third of the six million youth sport coaches in the U.S. had ever received training in positive youth development. Now, thanks to a national effort, one million coaches have been trained, proving what's possible when the field unites behind a bold vision.

"Training one million coaches marks a turning point in ensuring every young person has access to a coach who helps them thrive on and off the field," said Susan Crown, founder of the Susan Crown Exchange. "But this milestone is not the finish line. We know that great coaching can change lives. And this next chapter is about building on this momentum to make quality coach training the standard, so that every young person, everywhere, has the coach they deserve."

As part of the milestone, MCC released two new resources to sustain momentum and expand the movement:

• A Practice Guide for Youth Sport Coaches: 12 Coaching Strategies to Support Positive Youth Development  – a practical, research-backed playbook offering coaches actionable strategies to create safe and empowering environments for young athletes.
• The Million Coaches Challenge Calls to Action: A Vision for Youth Sports Coaching  – a bold agenda for the future of youth sports organized around policy, organizational practice, narrative, and research.

"These new resources are the bridge from milestone to movement," said Vincent Minjares, Ph.D., of the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program. "When we invest in coaches, we invest in kids, communities, and the future of sport."

Evidence shows that coaches trained by MCC partners are changing the game for young people: 93% feel more confident in their ability to support youth, 94% believe every coach would benefit from youth development training, and athletes coached by MCC-trained coaches report more joy and stronger relationships.

A full press release can be found here.

About the Million Coaches Challenge
The Million Coaches Challenge is a national initiative launched by the Susan Crown Exchange in 2021 to transform youth sports by training one million coaches in evidence-based youth development practices. Backed by 18+ partners, including the Aspen Institute's Project Play and research led by the American Institutes for Research, the Million Coaches Challenge is transforming youth sports by equipping coaches with the information and tools to create positive, inclusive environments that help young people build confidence, belonging, and life skills through sport.

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Jen Peters
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SOURCE Susan Crown Exchange