In an era of poisoned politics, Eboo Patel has some advice for politicians: learn from local sports coaches, who instill character, encourage cooperation across difference and demonstrate that democracy isn’t a spectator sport.

Where should Washington look for moral authority in 2026? Youth Sports Coaches.

Written by Eboo Patel for NOTUS

Politicians should look to park-district youth sports coaches for moral leadership. Baseball, basketball, football, volleyball, cheerleading — any team sport or activity will do. Volunteer coaches in community-wide programs literally do the three most important things in a diverse democracy:

1. Help form character. They teach things like: You have to wait your turn to bat. You have to shake hands with the other team, win or lose. You have to practice hard both so you can excel as a player and so you can help your team.
2. Facilitate cooperation across differences. If you have Jewish and Muslim players on your team, you can’t bring ham sandwiches as a snack. If there is tension in the Middle East, it can’t break up a baseball team in the Midwest. Leading a team, you realize in very concrete ways how necessary it is to bracket disagreements on some fundamental things (like Middle East wars) if you want to work together on other fundamental things (Sunday afternoon double headers).
3. Show that citizenship is not a spectator sport. You have to contribute, and it takes time. The government can supply the fields and the basic equipment, but a functioning democracy requires people to coach teams. If you want your kid to be in constructive activities, you need to give your time to help develop other people’s kids. That’s democracy — enlightened self-interest leads to mutual enrichment.

Eboo Patel is the founder and president of Interfaith America.