In part 1 we discussed the downfall of coaches and parents who over-coach kids and now in part 2 we are going to look at a few tips from parents and provide five tips of our own on how to coach and encourage young athletes effectively. Afer all we want these kids to love what they do.
When we asked our parents to email us how they like to coach or some coaching techniques we received quite a few emails and responses. Here are a couple of we thought we would share.
Paren: Darren Son: 13yr old
For me as a parent, who also used to play, I’m always remembering what my coaches told me to do and how they told me to do it, and the techniques that they instilled in me. So, as my son was growing up, I taught him a lot of those same techniques and tried to instill some of the same values that I learned in basketball.
As he got older, I watched him practice with other teams and coaches and play in different leagues, I saw how different everyone teaches your kid. At first, I would try and “correct” something I thought was wrong that another coach would tell him. But all that did was confuse him and make things harder for him. I thought I was doing the best thing by giving him the “best” way to do it, but I realized you can learn something from everyone and everyone’s technique.
So, I still continue to train him, but I just make sure not to say, and this is the only way to do it, instead I say, and this is one of the ways you can do it because it allows him to grow into new skills and learn different ways to do things that may work better for him. This small change in how I say something took a lot of pressure off of him and in doing it my way only.
Parent: Jessica Son: 12
Something I’ve noticed that works in my household is after every practice and game we ask How do you feel you played? Instead of just saying great job or good job. This way we know how he feels about where he is in the sport. We also ask what do you think you did best and what else do you think you need to work on? How do you suggest we do that? And we have a conversation about how we can help him. Just getting him to open up about how he feels about his skills and confidence has made a big difference.
We love hearing from the parents and seeing what works for each athlete. And we would love to keep posting tips and stories down the road. So, keep sending them in. We made sure to include our 5 tips below. These are great to instill not just in sports but other areas of our athletes’ lives as well.
5 Tips for Effective Coaching and Encouragement:
1. Promote a Positive Learning Environment:
Foster a positive atmosphere where mistakes are seen as opportunities for growth. Encourage a love for the game by emphasizing the joy of playing rather than focusing solely on winning.
2. Encourage Communication and Feedback:
Establish open lines of communication with both players and parents. Provide constructive feedback that highlights areas for improvement while also acknowledging achievements. Collaboration between coaches, parents, and athletes is key.
3. Focus on Skill Development:
Prioritize skill development over winning. Concentrate on teaching fundamental skills and ensuring that each child has the opportunity to contribute and improve, regardless of the game's outcome.
4. Emphasize Sportsmanship and Teamwork:
Teach the importance of sportsmanship and teamwork. Help kids understand that success is not solely determined by individual performance but by the collective effort of the team.
5. Encourage a Balanced Lifestyle:
Advocate for a balanced approach to sports. Encourage kids to participate in a variety of activities, promoting overall physical and mental well-being. This helps prevent burnout and supports a lifelong love for sports.
Effective coaching and encouragement in youth sports requires striking a delicate balance between guidance and independence. By avoiding the main pitfalls of over-coaching and implementing these five tips, coaches and parents alike can contribute to their development. This will make sure to create a positive and inspiring sports experience that will make a lifetime of memories.
*Thank you to all of the parents who sent in their stories and tips. We will try and post more through out the season.
Help us prepare and plan to be better by commenting, subscribing, and of course sending us your questions.
If there are topics, you would like us to discuss or touch base on email txcodered@gmail.com
