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Fun & Skill Development v. Winning

Playing Multiple Sports: A Healthy Advantage for Youth Athletes

The overlap between youth sports seasons is only getting worse and the degree to which kids are specializing at ever-earlier ages in a single sport is a troubling trend in youth sports, says one longtime baseball coach and author.
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Evaluating Coaches: Ask Athletes, Watch Practices

 

Wheelock College athletic director Diana Cutaia says it is important in evaluating coaches to seek input from student-athletes (because they don't measure success solely in terms of wins and losses), and to watch them run practices, where good coaches are always teaching, motivating, and keeping kids moving.

 

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What Life Lessons To Teach Is Coach's Choice

Submitted by Hal Tearse on Fri, 08/05/2011 - 01:00. | 0 comments

There are tens of thousands of well-meaning coaches in youth and high school athletics/activites across this nation. Being placed in a position of influence and power over young people, however, requires - to borrow from the Hippocratic oath - that coaches first do no harm, and hopefully do some good. Unfortunately, the sad fact is that many will be remembered by their players for all the wrong reasons.

Being placed in a position of influence and power over young people
requires - to borrow from the Hippocratic oath - that coaches first do
no harm, and hopefully do some good. Whether to teach positive or negative life lessons is the coach's choice.

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Goal of Coaching: Develop Winners in Sports and Life

Submitted by Hal Tearse on Fri, 08/05/2011 - 00:35. | 0 comments

During the off season local associations are faced with assigning coaches to the teams for the up coming year. Coaching committees and ultimately youth hockey boards will approve the coaches for the coming year. In many programs getting enough qualified coaches is a problem. Some programs start fresh each year and some leave coaches in place for many years. In short there is lots of attention and even drama about who is going to coach the teams, especially A teams. What is missing is actually determining how qualified the coaches are and an on going coach development program. It seems as the season begins teams and coaches are on their own.

Coaches are the most important and powerful individuals in any youth sports
organization. Coaches determine the quality of experience that players
have and can have a significant impact on the lives of their players.

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Umpire's Blown Call Provides Coach Teachable Moment

Often when dealing with umpires, parents, and kids (not to mention bosses and co-workers!), being right is only a piece of what's important for a coach. We have to balance correctness with our larger goals.  As adults, it is critical that we realize the opportunity every moment affords us, the "teachable moments."  As a coach and parent, we always have a choice in how we act and what we say.
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Fun, Learn, Compete: Transforming Sports Into A Lifelong Passion

Whether you are a parent, youth baseball coach, piano teacher or faculty advisor for the chess club, your mantra should be the same:  to create a fertile environment where kids can learn, compete, and have fun, says youth baseball coach and author, Dan Clemens.
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Youth Coaches: Meaningful Playing Time For Every Player Is Job One

At levels below high school, kids sign up for sports to play, not to watch other kids play or watch adults coach or referees ref.   Youth sports reform advocate and long-time youth basketball coach Bob Bigelow says the number one job of a coach - whether it be basketball or any other team sport -  is to make sure every child gets meaningful playing time in every game.
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Should Sports be 'Dumbed Down?'

Submitted by The Coach Pickles on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 21:24. | 2 comments

The idea of “dumbed down” sports is a scary concept for some. It can be hard for many adults, especially coaches, to accept. The mere idea of doing so can bring their coaching into question and evoke feelings of hesitation, resistance and fear. Many are often quick to admit, “My dad never ‘dumbed down’ sports for me, and I turned out fine.” However, watch a seasoned coach try to teach a young child without “dumbing down” sports, and they fail miserably. Still, purists claim “dumbed down” sports coaching is anything but natural.

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Brooke de Lench
Brooke de Lench

AYSO Convention Puts Spotlight On Player Development, Playing Time

Submitted by Brooke de Lench on Mon, 06/01/2009 - 13:57. | 1 comment

For three days over Memorial Day weekend, it was my honor and sincere pleasure to be the keynote speaker and a guest observer at the 2009 National Annual General Meeting of the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) in Dallas, Texas. The majority of the more than 700 folks in attendance were regional commissioners-the true backbone of the AYSO. The AYSO has long been at the top of my list of best national youth sports organizations. They have the right values, mission statement and an amazing number of dedicated volunteers and staff.

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Resist Pressure From Coaches For Early Specialization in Single Sport

Coaches who concentrate on the well-being of their young athletes encourage them to cross-train and enjoy other activities during parts of the year, not threaten them with the loss of a place on the team if they don't drop other sports.
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