Being an youth sports coach can be an incredibly fun and rewarding experience, but with the privilege of being a coach also comes responsibility. As youth sports continue to evolve, coaches are often faced with new and sometimes complex issues to address. How coaches resolve the issues they experience directly impacts the kids they coach, for better or worse.
This week I would like to offer 5 sport psychology tips to help youth coaches create an optimal sport experience for the kids they coach, as well as make it a fun and low-stress experience for themselves:
1. Have FUN! Not only is having fun the #1 reason why kids play sports, coaches also have a much better coaching experience when they have fun! While this may seem like a simple and basic message, too many times we lose sight of the fun element when we get caught up in the stressors that sometimes accompany youth sports. Making youth sports a fun experience requires proactive efforts on a daily basis, so be sure to bring your “A-game” and the kids will follow.
2. Keep up with Coach Education. Don’t wait until you are required to learn about the trends and issues often experienced in youth sports, including concussions, burnout, hazing, performance supplements, and proper weight training techniques. Other traditional issues include evaluating talent, making cuts, playing time, team building, and team chemistry ideas. Youth sports can be a challenging experience these days, so be sure to learn as much as you can (fortunately, a lot of good information is just a click away on the internet).
3. Find “Teachable Moments” and Help Kids Use Sports as a Vehicle for Future Life Success. There are countless teachable moments in sports, including helping kids learn about sportsmanship, motivation, resiliency, developing mental toughness, and teamwork (to name a few). Also make sure to help kids identify and use athletic transferable skills in all areas of their life, as these skills go well beyond the playing field!
4. Make Efforts to Reach Out to Parents, and Empathize with their Concerns. Most coaches are also sports parents, making it understandable when parents sometimes stress out when their child isn’t getting any playing time. The key for the coach is not to respond “to the squeaky wheel” by playing a kid just because has a vocal parent, but instead try to understand where the frustration is coming from and empathize with the situation. Empathy is a deeper level of feeling than sympathy, and requires putting yourself in the shoes of the parent who is frustrated seeing their kid not get much playing time.
5. Model Positive Behavior. Remember, every move you make is being watched by the kids you coach, so be sure to conduct yourself in responsible ways at all times. Be sure to pay attention to the language (verbal and body) and the motivational techniques you use, and steer clear from profanity and purposely “dressing down” kids by humiliating them in front of their teammates.
Keep up with your coaching by checking out our Coach Toolkit, available only at Advanced Human Performance Systems!
www.drstankovich.com
