6 Ways Coaches Can Improve Team Performance
Youth coaches sometimes joke that the ideal youth team is a one full of orphans. Though this approach is one solution to problem parents, there are other practical ways for coaches to work with parents. One of the best is regular communication between coaches and parents. Everything a coach does with the team is in [...]
The Importance of Long Term Planning
The most common problem facing trainers and coaches today regarding developing young athletes over time is the ability to plan long-term. The personal training profession is typically based on a session-to-session consideration – clients pay per session and trainers create training programs one session at a time. The same is true in coaching sports – [...]
How to Improve Your Coaching by Listening
The Greek philosopher Diogenes once said, “We have two ears and one tongue so that we would listen more and talk less.” While this is an excellent piece of advice, it is not always easy to follow. The following article provides advice on how to be a better listener and ultimately a better coach. Assessments [...]
Getting Players to Practice with Intensity
Most coaches have faced the challenge of getting athletes to practice with a purpose. Keeping young players engaged and excited about practice time is part skill and part art. Here are seven great tips to maintain a player’s practice intensity on a consistent basis. 1. Look underneath – The first step in addressing lack of [...]
How Coaches Can Help Athletes Take the Lead
Creating players with drive and motivation is not an easy job. There are many things that coaches can do to encourage a youth athlete to become self directed, however, a lot of this determination comes from within the athlete. Here are five characteristics of a self-directed athlete and tips to bringing them out in your [...]
Are You Correctly Disciplining Your Players?
Taking on the role of a coach is very similar to that of a parent. Responsibilities as a mentor and guide extend far beyond drills and scrimmages. Sometimes a coach is required to undertake the role of a disciplinarian. Just like in parenting, discipline is needed to teach players valuable lessons. Here are ten tips [...]
Helping Athletes Handle Pressure and Competition
Having an open mind and being aware of what your athlete is saying (both vocally and through body language) can help in the handling of the pressure that comes with playing youth sports. Most people play a sport for the thrill of having fun with others who share the same interest, right? But it’s not [...]
What Makes You A Good Coach?
What should a coach care about most: winning, teaching, or giving everyone a chance to play? KidsHealth.org asked their readers this question, and hundreds replied. The results are instructive. What They Value Survey respondents said they respond best to: Coaches who understand and motivate their players Coaches who are tough but fair Coaches who teach [...]
Q&A: Dealing with Parents and Equal Ice Time for Players
Pete asks: “As a coach, what is the best way to deal with the parent who thinks their child doesn’t get the same amount of ice time or shifts as everyone else? We even keep track of the number of shifts each player goes out. The only time they differ is when we have the Power Play [...]
10 Reasons for Equal Playing Time
On most youth teams, there are players who are physically two or three years ahead of their teammates in size, speed, or strength. These players often form a core of talent that coaches can use to their advantage to win games. Especially in youth travel and select teams, the temptation for many coaches is to [...]