Coaches regularly want accountability from their players, especially as this applies to maintaining grades, staying out of trouble, and putting out 100% effort for the team. When kids respond by holding themselves accountable, they learn the importance of discipline, responsibility, and making good choices — all things that contribute to peak performance on the field. These days, however, increasingly more coaches are experiencing push-back when holding kids accountable, with some parents expressing that “expectations are too high,” or that the coach is too “old school” in his or her coaching methods. While it is true that some coaches can go overboard with their messaging and expectations, coaches who expect basic accountability from the kids they coach should be commended, for their leadership is helping kids grow and develop far beyond the field.
Understanding the significance of accountability
Accountability is defined as the fact or condition of being responsible. The opposite of being accountable is to be irresponsible, uncommitted, or evasive. When coaches ask for accountability, they are asking your child for the following:
- To be fully committed to the team, and not swayed by outside distractions not helpful to the team.
- To be loyal to teammates through positive daily actions and behaviors.
- To adhere to family, school, and team guidelines to serve as a leader, and to steer clear of getting into trouble.
- To uphold high standards in the classroom, as well as the community.
- To own mistakes rather than make excuses, or point to others for being at fault.
- To practice individually when away from the team in order to continually improve athletic talent.
When kids are accountable to the team, amazing things can happen. For example, teams with perceived limited abilities based on size and strength often overachieve from kids buying in to the team, and working extra-hard as a result. Unfortunately, not all teams are comprised of accountable kids, and when kids do not commit to the team many of the following things tend to occur:
- Inconsistent practice schedule, resulting in unnecessary team stress.
- Coach frustration not knowing how to run practices most effectively and efficiently.
- Outside team distractions, including student athletes with suffering grades, or trouble in the community.
- Unnecessary injuries due to poor conditioning, limited focus, and lacking motivation.
- Premature quitting, especially when kids look around and nobody seems invested.
- Losses on the field, the program struggles, and fewer kids go out for the team the following year.
As you can see, there are many valid reasons why your child’s coach asks for accountability! You might want to think about that the next time the coach asks your child how he or she is doing in class with grades, or what your son or daughter is doing when not with the team in order to improve? These are not negative remarks, but instead designed teach kids the importance of commitment, and the specific actions needed on a daily basis in order to be accountable. When kids learn how to be accountable to their sports team, it is a skill they can later apply to the many future teams (academic, sports, etc) they will eventually join.
Final thoughts
While some sports parents think coaches who expect accountability are asking too much, the reality is that youth and school sports teams would not be the great experiences they are without kids committing to the process. Remember, coaches are not asking for accountability as a punitive measure, but they are instead teaching kids that success in life comes as a result commitment, responsibility, and perseverance. Help your kids understand that they control a lot of their future success, but success (on the field, or in life!) only occurs by being fully invested and accountable.
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