Write your search in the input below and press enter.
Esc to close.

The Sports Doc Chalk Talk with Dr. Chris Stankovich

Peak Performance:
Not Just for Sports, for Life

  • Products
    • Toolkits
    • Audio
    • Videos
    • Books
    • Apps
  • Services
  • Chalk Talk
    • Recent
    • Athletes
    • Coaching
    • Sports Parenting
    • Sports Administrators
    • Life
    • Administrators
  • About Dr. Stankovich
  • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Products
    • Toolkits
    • Audio
    • Books
    • Videos
    • Apps
  • Services
  • Chalk Talk
  • About Dr. Stankovich
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

Hello. Sign In

My Account
  • Login
  • Register
0
The Sports Doc Chalk Talk
Subscribe
The Sports Doc Chalk Talk with Dr. Chris Stankovich
  • Recent
  • Athletes
  • Coaching
  • Sports Parenting
  • Life
  • Administrators
Home / Blog / Tips for Coaches to Help Kids with “Teachable Moments” in Sports

Tips for Coaches to Help Kids with “Teachable Moments” in Sports

By: Dr. Chris Stankovich | @DrStankovich | Oct 29, 2013

No Comments

shutterstock_111449762How many times have you coached a game and watched a student athlete lose his or her mental toughness and throw a tantrum after making an on-field mistake?  In some cases the player whines to the referee, while in other instances you witness various body contortions, foul language, and sometimes even physical acts of aggression.  Rather than maturely handling the situation on the field or court, the player allows the emotions of the negative event to take over and only makes the situation worse.

Of course, lapses in mental toughness happen at all levels of sports, from the pros to youth sports.  Sport psychologists also realize it’s very human for kids to feel upset when they make mistakes in sports, but have you ever stopped to think about how kids also have a choice in how they respond to negative situations?  In other words, nobody makes a kid cry, complain, or throw tantrums after a missed or blocked shot, errant pass, or lapse on defense.  In fact, when kids choose to act out in irresponsible ways, it not only impacts play on the field, but also team dynamics, momentum, and quite possibly the immediate future if the kid is thrown out from the game or suspended for doing something dumb like punching an opponent.  The good news is that none of this has to occur, and coaches who are on-board with teaching student athletes better and more effective coping strategies have the best chance for kids to learn and master these skills.

It’s OK to get upset…

I always tell kids it’s OK to feel upset when you mess up in sports, and that it’s actually quite normal to feel frustrated in the moment of the mistake.  The emotions they feel are very real, the problem becomes when they fail to re-direct the energy into facilitative, learning opportunities rather than simply acting out.  For example, here are three basketball scenarios that could have been quickly corrected and allowed the athlete to learn from the experience:

  • Rather than crying at the referee for calling a foul, simply clap hands and yell out “lets go” by inspiring teammates to pick it up
  • Instead of making a scene when being replaced by a teammate on the court because of a coaching decision, try to give the teammate a high-five and encourage him or her to help the team
  • After a missed foul shot instead of becoming upset, pause for a moment, breathe, and visualize the next shot going through the basket perfectly

While it may not be easy to control emotions in sports, it is very well worth the effort if the student athlete wants to reach his or her full athletic potential.  Remind kids that it’s also not easy lifting weights, running, doing drills, tackling, and playing defense — but they do these things in order to play their best.  Kids often rise to the levels we adults expect them to, so be sure to “raise the bar” with your expectations by teaching them how to respond in positive and healthy ways to stress and adversity. 

www.drstankovich.com

 

 

 

 

 

athletes, Coaching, mental, moments, psychology, sport, student, teachable, toughness

  • Author
  • Comments
  • Details
Get to Know the Author

Dr. Chris Stankovich

Dr. Stankovich has written/co-written five books, including Positive Transitions for Student Athletes, The ParentsPlaybook, Mind of Steel.

Latest Blog Posts

  • June 29, 2022 Don’t Discount the Value of Fun, Unstructured Play for Kids Mental Health
  • June 20, 2022 Sports Parents & Coaches Can Use Youth Sports as a Mental Health Boost for Kids
  • June 15, 2022 Show Kids How Much You Care Before You Teach Them What You Know
  • June 14, 2022 Study Finds Team Sports May be Best for Kids & their Mental Health
  • June 8, 2022 Accepting that Life is Difficult is a Healthy 1st Step Toward Life Success

Comments are closed.

PREVIOUS POST

Best Advice for Young Athletes? Don’t Believe the Hype

NEXT POST

Torn ACL’s Instead of Concussions? The NFL is Looking at Very Dark Days Ahead

Category

Athletes , Athletic Counseling , Coaching , Communicating with Coach , Leadership , Parent Training , Playing Time , Sport Philosophy , Sport Psychology , Sports Leadership , Sports Parenting , Sports Performance Science , Team Building , Team Chemistry , Team Cohesion , Training and Development , Uncategorized , Youth and Interscholastic Sports , Youth Sports

Tags

athletes, Coaching, mental, moments, psychology, sport, student, teachable, toughness

  • Recent Posts
  • Most Read
  • Don't Discount the Value of Fun, Unstructured Play for Kids Mental Health
  • Sports Parents & Coaches Can Use Youth Sports as a Mental Health Boost for Kids
  • Show Kids How Much You Care Before You Teach Them What You Know
  • Study Finds Team Sports May be Best for Kids & their Mental Health
  • Accepting that Life is Difficult is a Healthy 1st Step Toward Life Success
  • Overcome the Fear of Failure, Improve Mental Toughness, & Experience Success
  • How Much Impact Does a Coach Have on Sports Team Success?
  • Avoid the Dangers of "Whataboutism" for Better Relationships & Improved Mental Health
  • Help Kids Maximize Youth Sports by Using Athletic Transferable Skills
  • Improve Mental Health by Means of Catharsis & Purging Negative Thoughts
  • The Sports Doc on TV

    Catch Dr. Stankovich’s tv, radio, and print interviews and columns here!

    Dr. Chris Stankovich Watch Videos
  • Sport Performance Assessment

    Dr. Chris Stankovich Quickly and accurately test your level of mental toughness in just a few minutes using the Sport Performance Assessment.

    (SPA), an easy-to-use sport psychology system specially designed to help you REACH YOUR FULL ATHLETIC POTENTIAL.

    learn more
  • SportsSuccess360

    Life strategies for performance and character development for coaches, parents, and student athletes competing in youth and interscholastic sports.

    Life Strategies learn more
  • Contact Dr. Stankovich

    1395 Grandview Avenue Suite 6, Columbus OH 43212

    (614) 561-4482
    Media & General Inquiries
    information@drstankovich.com
    Sales & Product Support
    sales@drstankovich.com
  • About Dr. Stankovich

    • Media
    • Blog
    • Testimonials
  • Products

    • Toolkits
    • Videos
    • Books
    • Audio
    • iPhone Apps
  • Services

    • Athlete Performance Training
    • Parent Community Forum
    • Coach Education & Development
    • Athletic Crisis Response and Intervention
    • Drug & Alcohol Assessment
    • Life Success Programs
    • Counseling & Consulting Services
  • Blog
  • YouTube
  • twitter
  • facebook

All rights reserved © 2022 Advanced Human Performance Systems™

↓ ↓