Coaching as a Leader by Sebastian

Coaching as a Leader by Sebastian - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

My church and school community has been one of my biggest supporters since my childhood. To this day, I am given the gift of being a well-respected graduate who is deeply involved in their community. My passion for giving back to the community was inspired by my parents, coaches and teachers. They introduced me to volunteering for experiences that benefit the greater community.

My parents met through the St. Augustine Parish youth program in Dallas, Tx, which allowed them to connect with friends, staff members and the local priests. Their marriage through the church gave them the gift to place me into a Catholic school, St Philip Catholic Academy. My school introduced me to incredible teachers, such as Coach George West, my P.E. teacher, Fr. Eduardo Gonzalez, my parish priest, and Deacon Pedro Esquivel. Mentoring alongside them was also my favorite coach, my dad, a volunteer for the school’s soccer teams. With their help I was able to learn the game of soccer through my faith and experience the joy of competing alongside friends.

When I played with the team I felt alive and free to express myself. My coaches and parents gave me confidence every game, and always reminded me that no matter the outcome, it is most important to enjoy playing. That’s what paying soccer has always been about, playing the game you love with passion and making the most of it. I was always reminded what a privilege it was to play the game freely. It is an opportunity not many Hispanics have the circumstances to play joyfully and safely.

Eventually, I stopped playing soccer my freshman year to focus on football, yet I still had a deep passion for the game. My parents continued to volunteer at SPSA and for our own soccer team, Mustangs F.C., so I became motivated to help them out. I decided to volunteer as an assistant coach for St. Philip and St. Augustine Academy’s (SPSA) futsal team, alongside my dad as head coach. When we began our practices, we knew the challenges ahead of us, because almost every player didn't know how to play soccer, except my brother and a few others. At first, I was frustrated because our team couldn’t play together nor score many goals, until I took a seminar by the Dallas Parochial League sports.

During the seminar the director of Soccer and principal of Bishop Dunne Highschool, Coach Stephen Guerrero, gave us a speech on the reason we decided to coach and our purpose as leaders. He reminded us that the players we coach look up to us as teachers of the game, and the importance of mentoring the game correctly. What stood out to me the most was his definition of success as a team and as a coach, and it wasn’t winning every game. The purpose of success as a coach is experiencing joy while teaching your players, so that they will experience even more joy. Even though it is important to be a competitive team, the lessons learned have a real impact.

Afterwards, I used these teachings throughout the season. Our team became united and found a sense of passion for the game, same as my dad and I. Each player was able to experience joy while playing and practicing to get better, and we found virtue in that. We ended the season 8-2 yet lost in the semifinals. Although we didn’t achieve the outcome we wanted, I was able to give the kids a memorable experience that defined competition. The beauty of soccer lies in the joy of competing together while striving to achieve a goal together. With the guidance of Coach Guerrero and the dedication of my players, I understood the importance of being an understanding coach for the futures of your players. The season helped me discover a newly found passion for coaching and the ability to make sports more enjoyable and cherishible.