Linsey Covert M.Ed, NCC, LPC [e-mail] 717-372-6804

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Linsey Covert M.Ed, NCC, LPCcoverlin_at_chambersburg
.k12.pa.us717-372-6804

• Understanding the Young Athlete

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Objectives

• Coach will
• - Begin to explore and think about coaching
  philosophy
• - Understand and possibly adjust your
  expectations of your young athletes
• - Make the connection between coaching/teaching
  sport(s) skill and coaching/teaching life skills
• - Begin exploring ways to utilize relevance for
  young athletes (helping each other, positive
  change in behavior, social/communication skills,
  problem solving, resiliency, and leadership)
• - Understand the power of connection and sense
  of belonging
• - Be given ideas and strategies on appropriate
  ways to respond to young athletes
• - HAVE FUN ?

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Some Stats

• 30-40 million kids play in youth sports each year
• Estimated less than 20 of youth sports coaches
  are provided with any training
• Less than 20 of high school students are
  involved in sports
• 45.3 of kids surveyed report they have been
  called names, yelled at, or insulted by coaches
• 21 of kids reported they have been pressured to
  play with an injury
• 17 of kids reported they have been hit, kicked,
  or slapped by a coach
• www.centerforkids.org

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More Stats

• Why Kids Are Playing
• To HAVE FUN!!!
• To improve their skills
• To stay in shape
• To do something they are good at
• The excitement of competition
• To get exercise
• To play as part of a team
• The challenge of competition
• To learn new skills
• To win

• Why Kids Quit
• They lose interest
• They werent having fun
• It required too much time
• The coach played favorites
• The coach was a poor teacher
• They got tired of playing
• Too much emphasis on winning
• They wanted to participate in other non-sport
  activities
• They needed more time to study
• There was too much pressure
• www.centerforkids.org

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Coaching Philosophy

• Take a minute (or two)
• - Write down at least 3 reasons you are herewhy
  do you WANT to coach?
• - You have to know where YOU are coming from to
  know where you are going with your young athletes

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Expectations of your Kids

• Now write down at least 3 expectations you will
  have of your athletes and how and how you plan on
  making sure your kids live up to those
  expectations.

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Expectations Cont.

• Look at your expectations again
• Are they
• Realistic?
• Developmentally Appropriate?
• Coachable/Teachable?

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Video

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vR3S2Lk2XCCs

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SportsThe Game of Life

• Sports helps teach our kids the foundations of
  life.
• Project TEAM
• -Help Each Other
• -Positive Change in Behavior
• -Social/Communication Skills
• -Problem Solving
• -Resiliency
• -Leadership

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Making a Connection

• Kids should feel like they have a place on the
  team.
• Make some kind of connection for them.
• Encourage teambuilding and leadership from some
  of your more experienced and confident athletes.
• Connection and sense of belonging will keep kids
  coming back. Its purpose for them.

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Communication

• HUGE!!!
• As the leaders and adults of the teams we have to
  understand the best ways to communicate.
• Kids will hear and see everything.
• Verbal Language
• Paralanguage
• Non-verbal Language

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Something to think about

• Verbal Content comprises only 7 of the force of
  any response
• Paralanguage comprises about 38 of the force of
  any response
• Non Verbal Content comprises 55 of the
  force of any response.
• CollegeJournal

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Strategies to Try

• Leadership Model
• Teambuilding Activities
• http//www.oakharborcheer.com/TeamBuildingGames.ht
  ml
• http//wilderdom.com/games/InitiativeGames.html
• http//wilderdom.com/teambuilding/
• Clear Rules/Expectations for all Coaches,
  Players, Parents
• Team Routines Rituals

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• The name on the front of the jersey is what
  really matters, not the name on the back.
• When a team outgrows individual performance and
  learns team confidence, excellence becomes a
  reality.
• Joe Paterno

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If we have time

• Get into groups of about 10-12 people