For YMCA of Greater Brandywine youth sports coach Todd Kinkus, playing sports isn’t just about learning how to be good at a sport - it’s also about being a good person.

“Compared to lots of other sports leagues, the Y’s youth sports league program is more of a community experience,” he says. “It offers good examples for kids and it provides a good foundation for sports — not just in terms of winning and losing — but for the foundation of the player.”

Kinkus, who’s been coaching youth soccer, basketball and hockey teams for nearly seven years—close to 20 seasons in all—appreciates the Y’s emphasis on teaching and nurturing young players. “From a coaching standpoint, I’ve tried to incorporate the Y’s core values—being a good teammate, being a good sport and supporting teammates from the sideline—into all I do as a coach. The Y’s core values have guided me,” says Kinkus.

Kinkus volunteers his time coaching sports at the Y; and while he could be doing many other things with his free time, the benefits he receives from coaching are what keep him coming back. “I really enjoy the chance to see each child’s growth when that light bulb goes off. I’m excited when I hear from parents that their child is having a great time and loving playing. That’s probably the biggest thing I get out of being a coach—knowing that the child and his or her parents had a great experience and want to come back,” he says.