With a coaching career that spans over 40 years and includes multiple state championships, Chris Winstead has seen firsthand how sports can transform lives. As the head coach of the boys’ soccer team at John Marshall High School, his impact extends far beyond the wins and losses – he is a mentor, role model, and advocate for his players.
In this interview, Coach Winstead shares his journey into coaching, the lessons he strives to instill in his athletes, and why he believes every young person deserves the opportunity to compete, grow, and succeed.
What is your name, what sports do you coach, and at what school?
My name is Chis Winstead. I coach Men’s Soccer at John Marshall High School.
When did you realize you were meant to be a coach?
I was about 23 years old, so 41 years ago!
If there was a specific event or moment that led you down this path, tell us about it.
While I was studying in college, I realized I could help players with the mechanics of movements. As a former athlete, I also missed the competitive atmosphere.
What is your favorite thing about being a coach?
The best thing about being a coach is seeing how players grow from season to season and throughout the years.
What is the most difficult thing about being a coach?
The toughest part of the job is having to hold players accountable for poor choices when I realize that, in some situations, athletics is the only positive force in their lives.
What do you feel is your biggest responsibility as a coach?
I see my biggest responsibility as being the example for my students and guiding them down the right paths in life.
What has been your favorite or most memorable coaching moment?
Before coaching soccer, I coached baseball for more than 35 years. Winning multiple state championships has given me some of my most memorable moments, but so does seeing an athlete become successful when others may have given up on them.
What has been your most rewarding coaching moment?
The most rewarding moment was having a player from years ago contact me from out of state just to let me know I had made a difference in his life. Seeing former players, male or female, become successful adults is gratifying, too.
How important are sports in the development of a young person? Why do you feel this way?
Sports are essential for the development of young people. They promote physical health, teach social skills, instill discipline, boost confidence, relieve stress, and provide lifelong skills. Encouraging young people to participate in sports can lead to a healthier and more fulfilling life.
What is the most important life lesson you learned as an athlete or through sports?
The most important life lesson I learned as an athlete is that teamwork and perseverance are the keys to overcoming challenges and achieving success.
When Fields & Futures was created in 2012, the first order of business was to rebuild and restore athletic facilities across the district. Do you believe quality, maintained fields and facilities have a positive impact on a school’s student-athletes and sports programs? How?
Absolutely! Maintained fields and facilities positively impact a school’s student-athletes and sports programs by providing safe and encouraging environments that enhance performance, promote teamwork, and foster a sense of pride in the school.
Fields & Futures has recently shifted its focus from building fields to developing sport-specific programs that build stronger student-athletes, coaches, and teams. Why is it important for your athletes to receive the resources and opportunities, such as free clinics and team trips, that help them develop in their sport?
One of the current trends is for students to focus on one sport. I, myself, believe playing multiple sports develops better athletes and stronger competitors, but our students need the opportunities that more fortunate students might have. We need a level playing field that provides our kids with sport-specific development opportunities. If we can’t provide them with that, sports will only be for those who have the money to go to clinics, camps, and ID camps.
From a coach’s perspective, how do programming opportunities such as coaches’ clinics, ongoing education, and peer support help you lead your teams more effectively and confidently?
All of these opportunities help us perform our jobs with confidence, share ideas with other coaches, and continue to learn new ways to be better coaches and mentors.
Fields & Futures has set a goal to grow OKCPS sports participation to 50% by 2030. Currently, the participation rate is about 28%. Why do you feel it’s important to put more kids on more teams in OKC’s urban core?
Again, I believe sports are essential for the development of young people. They promote physical health, teach social skills, instill discipline, boost confidence, relieve stress, and provide lifelong skills. Encouraging young people to participate in sports can lead to a healthier and more fulfilling life, as well as teach lifelong lessons in a safe environment.
What role do coaches play in reaching this goal of 50% participation?
Coaches have an impact on participation numbers by recruiting student-athletes within their schools and then encouraging and developing them as players and people. Our role is more mentors than sports managers.
As more kids join teams, how important is it to create a coaching culture in OKCPS and across the urban core that attracts and retains quality coaches? What does a strong coaching culture look like to you?
Creating a collaborative coaching culture in OKCPS and across the urban core is crucial to attracting and retaining quality coaches. It fosters an environment where coaches feel supported, valued, and motivated to develop student-athletes. A strong and collaborative coaching culture enhances teamwork, elevates performance, and cultivates school pride.
When you’ve hung up your whistle and look back on your coaching career, what lasting impact do you hope to have left on the young people you coached?
Winning and coaching the right way gives me fulfillment, but my lasting success comes from helping young people grow and develop into better adults.