By Kiara Doyal, The Seattle Medium
Chris Vala, head coach of the Benson Bruins 13U team, didn’t plan on becoming a youth football coach. But a spontaneous moment on the sidelines of his son’s flag football game changed everything. What started with a few cones and a handful of restless kids turned into a coaching journey that has now spanned many years — and built a powerhouse youth football team in the process.
“I remember seeing a bunch of kids on the sidelines of my son’s game, because they didn’t have a 6U group,” says Vala. “I set up some cones and ran some drills with them, and then the next day I was asked if I was interested in helping coach. Then it ventured into the kids calling me coach, and I was like, wait what? But that is how I got into coaching. I didn’t want to at first, but the way I connected with the kids, it kind of just put me in that place.”
After that first 6U rookie season, Vala and his son were looking for a stable program and found their home with the Benson Bruins. Since 2018, Vala has served as a coach for the Benson Bruins, and has dedicated himself to mentoring young athletes both on and off the field.
“I heard it was a great program, so we showed up to the open workouts and started helping out with the drills right away. I just liked to help the kids,” Vala said. “And then they ended up asking me if I wanted to coach there, and that is where it all started. I coached under Albert Marshall, who was the head coach at the time, and I have been with that group of guys ever since then. So many years.”
Although his team is nationally ranked and has won multiple championships, Vala rarely talks about the scores or wins. Instead, he prefers to highlight the hard work and dedication that made those achievements possible.
“I always push on the work that it requires, because if you put in the work, the best will come. So, it is the results of their hard work that they put in. We work pretty hard, we have long weeks, and for years I have taken on extra scrimmages, extra practices, and longer practices,” Vala said. “Because if their goal is to win nationals or be successful, you have to work for it. Football just falls into helping in future life lessons as well.”
Being involved in youth football has brought Vala a great amount of joy, especially watching his players overcome adversity off the field and still perform at a high level. For him, witnessing their resilience and growth is incredibly rewarding.
“I have got to witness a lot of these guys go through some tough losses and tough situations, whether it is outside of football or inside. Watching them overcome adversity and watching them rise to the challenges has been pretty cool to see,” Vala said. “They don’t give up. Even during the season, there are some guys battling stuff outside football, and watching them overcome different obstacles and watching them grow has been a blessing for me to be a part of.”
His motivation to keep coaching, teaching, and mentoring is simple: to watch his players grow and develop into responsible young men.
“Some people say they do it because they love the game, and I do, because I still play semi-pro currently and that competitive side drives me to want to compete,” Vala said. “But, in another sense, you watch them first start off, and then each year they grow, and I want to be there to watch them grow and be able to guide them all the way through.”
Vala sees youth sports—football in particular—as a key outlet for kids who may be dealing with challenges at home or in their personal lives. For him, that alone is reason enough to ensure youth sports continue to be offered and passed down from generation to generation.
“Whether they lose a parent or have an absent parent, when they go through that struggle you can tell and you can feel it. And I am like another father or an uncle to them. So when they talk about football being an outlet, it is true,” Vala said.
“But now they got a lot of bigger programs that come up and they are so focused on the next level, that it kind of takes away from the youth programs,” Vala added. “And I don’t think a lot of people know the importance of youth football. Football is an outlet and another way to teach life lessons for these kids, so I truly believe that it is important that it sticks around and stays.”
