Chance for youth coaches to reflect
When athletes can’t play the games they play because of injury, it is a challenge to find ways to maintain, let alone improve.
The current situation is similarly challenging, as for many sports, social distancing doesn’t lend itself to competition.
But there is no shortage of workout routines, plans and strategies available for athletes to keep sharp during this unforeseen shutdown of the sports world. And not just physically.
My inbox has been inundated with messages from public relations firms promoting experts who offer discussions on the mental toll of being told not to play the game will
have on those who are so accustomed to being out and about.
As athletes figure out how to cope with the various orders concerning the coronavirus pandemic, coaches face a unique situation as well. The Positive Coaching Alliance believes this unusual time presents an opportunity for coaches to improve.
Not Bill O’Brien or Mike D’Antoni. Though I can think of a class each should sign up for — People Management for Dummies and Defense 101, respectively.
The PCA directs its efforts at lower levels of sports, where love and sometimes disdain of sports are born.
It might seem counterintuitive to think that one can become a better coach while not coaching, but if you have been anywhere near a youth sports environment in recent years, you know many involved needed a break.
Hopefully, some will take advantage of the time away to reevaluate their roles in what is too often an ugly experience for kids.
“We want to change the culture and environment of sports,” said Jason Skaer, PCA Regional Executive Director for Development Texas. “I think what we’ve seen through scientific research, through practical study and evaluation, is that an encouraging, empowering, open culture and environment is what keeps kids playing sports.
“We know that there are a ton of life lessons that kids can learn (from) sports. So, if they’re dropping out because of poor experiences that they’ve had with coaches or parents, then they’re losing out on that platform for learning those life lessons.”
If your goal in enrolling your children in youth sports is something other than wanting to see them have fun, get great exercise, and improve at something they enjoy doing through learning the fundamentals and practice, you might be the problem.
Despite much discussion about the over-the-top behavior at youth sporting events, the atmosphere has gotten worse over the years.
It is astonishing.
When it comes to abusive behavior toward athletes, coaching in professional and collegiate sports has gone in the opposite direction. Those athletes are empowered on some level.
Kids aren’t. They look to parents and coaches to lead the way.
Boys don’t become better men through abuse. Athletes don’t become better players or better teammates because of insults and mistreatment.
“Our whole goal is to develop better athletes,” Skaer said. “We want them to be better athletes, better at their sport, better coaches. We want them to win more. We’re not opposed to any of that. But most importantly, we want them to become better people.
Your 8-year-old is not prepping for the NFL Draft, and nor is she a candidate for the U.S.
Women’s National Team. Not today.
What the little ones are doing is important, but not that serious.
Sports & Fitness Industry Association research shows that the percentage of kids between 6 and 12 who play team sports has increased in recent years, but dropped from 45 to 38 percent from 2008 to 2018.
An Aspen Institute/Utah State University study found that on average kids participate in sports for less than three years and quit before they’re 11.
According to a National Alliance for Youth Sports poll from a few years ago, 70 percent of kids stop playing sports by the age of 13 because they were not having fun.
A lot of that is on parents and coaches. We can do better.
The PCA, a nonprofit organization that counts Astros manager Dusty Baker, Roughnecks head coach June Jones, and former Rocket Shane Battier on its volunteer national advisory board, has a host of resources on its Web site that are designed to help parents and coaches. It is worth checking out.
“I don’t think that adults realize enough how important and how impactful their statements and their way of communicating to kids can be,” Skaer said. “It’s not just trying to avoid the negative, which we need to do, and I think society is becoming more aware of the win at all costs mentality is counter-productive, but it’s more than that.
“We want to be on the front lines of positivity and encouragement because there are so many kids out there today that are facing stresses and factors that we just didn’t have to deal with, frankly, growing up. The world’s a different place now and we need to encourage kids. It’s amazing what just one encouraging word could be to a kid.”
And, sadly, it is amazing what a discouraging one can do as well.