COACH ‘EM UP was founded by Deborah Newkirk in 2009. It developed out of organized instruction through private training and large clinic instruction in the Austin area, including the West Austin Youth Association, Lake Travis Youth Association, and Brushy Creek Community Center. Since then Coach ‘Em Up has spread to nearby communities and states and now reaches over 1500 student athletes per year.

Through the Coach ‘Em Up Certified Coaching program, Deborah Newkirk personally trains and certifies young coaches in her time-tested methodology. Coach ‘Em Up also offers coaches education for other organizations.

The heartbeat of Coach ‘Em Up is our motto: Confidence, Fundamentals, Champions. We instill confidence in young people by giving them a strong foundation of fundamentals and how-to so that they can work towards becoming contributors. We provide a safe, fun, exciting place to fall in love with sport, teaching them to be champions in everything they do. You can become a champion through winning a medal, but also by working to perfect your serve or by being a good friend. We emphasize being a champion in everything we do and instill it as a goal every time we teach.