Key Takeaways
- More than 7,000 RCX Sports Foundation coaches a year will gain access to Positive Coaching Alliance’s courses and live virtual training under a new partnership.
- In PCA’s Million Coaches Challenge survey of 2,700+ trained coaches, nearly 90% said the training made them better at coaching.
- The agreement adds coach recognition and a PCA feature on a webinar distributed to more than 25,000 RCX Sports Foundation families.
- 68.5% of surveyed coaches said PCA training helped retain kids season to season, and 54.5% said it kept them coaching, per PCA.
RCX Sports Foundation and Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) announced a partnership, to strengthen youth sports coaching across the foundation’s programs, giving its network of more than 7,000 coaches annually access to PCA’s coach education and resources. The deal includes on-demand courses, two live virtual training sessions for up to 300 coaches each, and a pathway for eligible coaches to be nominated for PCA’s Coach of the Year Award.
Following the announcement, YSBR sat down with Jason Sacks, CEO of Positive Coaching Alliance, to discuss why the partnership came together, where volunteer coaches need the most support, and what PCA’s data shows about the impact of coach training. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Inside the RCX Sports Foundation and PCA Partnership
RCX Sports Foundation is the nonprofit arm of RCX Sports, focused on promoting diversity, inclusion, and access in youth sports, with a stated goal of ensuring no child is denied the lifelong benefits of sports. Its leagues run on volunteer coaches. PCA is a national nonprofit that provides training and resources for coaches, parents, and youth sports organizations.
Per the announcement, the partnership includes:
- Access to PCA’s on-demand coach education courses, which offer practical tools for building supportive team environments and motivating young athletes
- Two live virtual training sessions, each for up to 300 coaches
- A PCA presentation at an RCX Sports Foundation coaches meeting
- Features on RCX Sports Foundation platforms for coaches who embody PCA’s approach, plus Coach of the Year nominations for eligible coaches
- A PCA feature on the foundation’s Beyond the Game webinar, distributed to more than 25,000 families
“Coaches have a tremendous influence on a child’s experience in sports,” said Ericka Newsome, executive director of RCX Sports Foundation, in the announcement. “By bringing PCA’s training to our coaches, we’re giving them practical tools to build confidence, create a sense of belonging and help every child enjoy being part of a team.”
“Volunteer coaches have a lasting impact on young athletes, often well beyond the field,” Sacks said in the release. “Working with RCX Sports Foundation allows us to support thousands of coaches across different sports and communities with tools that help every kid have a positive experience.”
The organizations said they plan to build on the partnership in the months and years ahead to make positive coaching practices a consistent part of RCX Sports Foundation leagues.
Why PCA Chose RCX Sports Foundation’s Volunteer Network
YSBR: PCA works with a lot of organizations. What made this the right fit, and what does reaching 7,000+ coaches through one network make possible?
Jason Sacks: RCX Sports Foundation and PCA share the belief that all children deserve access to a positive youth sports experience, one that is safe, welcoming, and inclusive. The foundation’s leagues rely on volunteer coaches, who we know are crucial to expanding opportunities and access for youth. With no coach, there is no team.
Having leadership like Ericka Newsome, executive director, and Patrick Wilson, director of league operations, invested in coach support allows PCA to reach coaches who otherwise might not have the resources or training to give their teams the best possible experience. Together, we can make quality coach training a consistent part of the experience across the foundation’s leagues as youth sports opportunities continue to grow.
What Youth Sports Coaching Needs as Pressure Rises
YSBR: Most youth coaches are volunteer parents with little formal training. What’s the biggest gap, and what does PCA’s training change?
Jason Sacks: Oftentimes volunteer parents, especially at the youngest level, don’t have the tools to manage the behavior of energetic kids during practices and games. It starts with small, intentional moments like learning every child’s name early, greeting them with a smile and eye contact, or kneeling down to speak with them at eye level.
We also give coaches tools to recognize their own biases and understand potential underlying issues when a child is “misbehaving.” On the field, it’s about structuring practices to maximize movement and setting mini, achievable effort goals so kids can see and celebrate their own progress. All of this creates connection between a coach and a child, which is often the most important thing before getting into the Xs and Os.
YSBR: With more travel teams, year-round play, and money flowing into youth sports, how has the pressure changed?
Jason Sacks: No matter the level of competition, PCA believes foundational coach training is non-negotiable. Kids, parents, and coaches are feeling more pressure than ever, so everyone needs to stay on the same page about the goals: positive youth development, teaching life skills, and learning how to compete, right alongside core sports skills.
As families invest significantly more time and money into youth sports, parents naturally carry a deeper emotional stake. Our training helps coaches set clear expectations with parents and athletes before the season begins and channel that passion constructively, keeping the focus on the growth, development, and enjoyment of the kids.
Does Coach Education Improve Retention?
YSBR: What outcomes does PCA track after coaches complete training, and what has the data shown?
Jason Sacks: We gather insights from organization leaders, coaches, and parents immediately after our engagement and at milestones over time, looking at outcomes like life skills and resilience, positive team environments, parent-coach relationships, and coach and athlete retention.
In the national Million Coaches Challenge, we surveyed more than 2,700 PCA-trained coaches. Nearly 90% reported that PCA training made them better at what they do, and over 80% said they changed their coaching practice. Nearly 95% observed or expected an increase in athlete joy, and 68.5% said the training helped keep kids returning to their teams season after season. It supports coaches too: 54.5% said the training encouraged them to keep coaching in future seasons.
That data, combined with what we hear from PCA’s 1,500 school, youth sports, and community organization partners, shows that when organizations invest in coach training, we often see more enjoyment and retention from both kids and coaches.
7,000 Coaches, 25,000 Families, One Shared Standard
YSBR: The partnership includes coach recognition and a webinar reaching 25,000 families. Why the emphasis on celebrating coaches and engaging parents?
Jason Sacks: Celebrating role model coaches sets a powerful standard, showing peers what excellence looks like and showing families what to look for when signing their kid up for sports. Coaches guide the team on the field, but building a positive youth sports culture is a shared responsibility among coaches, athletes, and parents.
When families set clear expectations early in the season and use teachable moments in post-game conversations at home, they can prevent common conflicts before they arise. Through our partnership with ESPN on its Take Back Sports initiative, sports parents across the U.S. can access PCA’s self-paced parent training at no cost.
The RCX Sports Foundation agreement joins PCA’s other parent-focused efforts, including its Before It’s Over campaign with the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). With the two live virtual sessions capped at 600 coaches combined, the on-demand courses will determine how much of the foundation’s 7,000-coach network the training ultimately reaches.
Source: RCX Sports Foundation and Positive Coaching Alliance joint press release
Source: Youth Sports Business Report, interview with Jason Sacks, CEO, Positive Coaching Alliance, October 2026
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Youth Sports Business Report (YSBR) is the largest and most trusted media platform covering the business of youth sports worldwide. YSBR delivers youth sports news, market intelligence, and original analysis daily across facilities, sponsorships, private equity, NIL, sports technology, and league operations. With more than 50,000 followers, YSBR is the leading source of youth sports industry news for the investors, owners, operators, and brands shaping the future of youth sports.
How big is the youth sports market?
American families spend approximately $54 billion annually on kids’ sports and recreation, according to the YSBR and Kinetica Group Youth Sports TAM & Parent Spending Report, with organized sports alone representing a $40 billion-plus market. The average family spent $1,016 on a child’s primary sport in 2024, up 46 percent since 2019, per the Aspen Institute’s Project Play, and market research projects the global youth sports market will reach approximately $114 billion by 2032 (Business Research Insights).
How many kids play youth sports in the United States?
Approximately 27.3 million children ages 6 to 17, or about 54.6 percent, played organized sports in 2022-2023, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health as reported by the Aspen Institute’s Project Play. High school sports participation reached a record 8.26 million athletes in 2024-25, per the NFHS.
Who founded Youth Sports Business Report?
Youth Sports Business Report was founded by Cameron Korab, a sports marketing veteran with more than a decade in the industry and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Korab also co-founded Vertical Sports, a sports marketing advisory serving brands across youth, college, and pro sports.
What does YSBR cover?
YSBR delivers original reporting and market intelligence on youth sports facilities, youth sports technology, sponsorship and brand partnerships, private equity and venture capital deals, NIL policy, coaching development, equipment and apparel, tournaments and events, and community sports initiatives. Readers include industry executives, investors, facility owners and operators, league administrators, and youth sports parents.
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Hosted by Cameron Korab, founder of Youth Sports Business Report, Jr. Sports Marketing features candid 1-on-1 conversations with the brands, athletes, leagues, and innovators building the future of youth sports. Each episode breaks down how the smartest brands are activating, building equity, and winning with youth sports families. If you’re an operator, founder, investor, or marketer trying to understand where this space is headed, this is your show.
Youth Sports Marketing Questions, Answered
Where can brands sponsor youth sports? Brands can sponsor youth sports through local leagues and clubs, tournaments and events, facilities and complexes, governing bodies, and national platform programs. Sponsoring a child’s own program is the most powerful entry point: 81 percent of parents say it captures their attention, outperforming TV, social media, and pro sports sponsorship, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study conducted by YouGov Sport.
How much does youth sports sponsorship cost? Youth sports sponsorship costs range from a few thousand dollars for a local league or team sponsorship to six and seven figures for regional facility naming rights and national platform programs. The environment is welcoming at every level: 84 percent of parents hold net positive sentiment toward brands sponsoring youth sports, with negative sentiment under 5 percent, per YouGov Sport research. Most brands start with a pilot activation, measure engagement, then scale.
What is the ROI of youth sports marketing? The data is striking: 80 percent of parents say they would choose the brand that sponsors their child’s youth sports program when comparing two similar products, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study by YouGov Sport. A 2026 EMARKETER and DICK’S Media survey found 84 percent of sports parents say that role influences their purchase decisions, and 60 percent spend more on game and practice days, driving loyalty across categories from dining to travel to automotive.
Ready to build a youth sports strategy? Vertical Sports is an Advisory+ delivering integrated expertise across all levels of sport. Youth, College, Pro. Every Fan, Every Level. Brands and youth sports organizations can reach the team at info@verticalsports.us.
