Connector -- July 7, 2009 |
| In This Issue:
The Biggest Mystery in Youth Sports by Jim Thompson
Ask PCA: Parents Who Request Their Children's Friends on the Same Team
My Youth Sports Story: A Story of Courage
Money-Saving Incentives to Become a PCA Partner in July |
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| The Biggest Mystery in Youth Sports |
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 By Jim Thompson
Perhaps you can help me solve a huge mystery in youth sports. Why don't more youth coaches use a mistake ritual with their teams?
Being able to deal with, rather than fear, mistakes is one of the most important character traits for a "Major League Person" to acquire.
Consequently, I have felt that one of the most important contributions Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) can make to improve youth sports is to make the "mistake ritual" a common practice in youth sports.
I first learned about "flushing mistakes" from Mike Legarza, then basketball coach at Ca�ada College in Northern California, and later a PCA Trainer. Mike (lifetime winning record of 85%) had his players make a flushing motion with their hand whenever they made a mistake, and I remember Mike often yelling to his players, "Don't worry. Flush it!" I watched as opposing teams played aggressively until crunch time, when they became tentative. Mike's players, on the other hand, played as aggressively in crunch time and rarely lost a close game.
More recently Tampa Rays star Evan Longoria credited Ravizza with helping him deal with mistakes.
And now the flush played a major role in LSU's successful quest for the NCAA baseball title.
- Ryan Schimpf, quoted at NOLA.com after hitting a homerun in the Super Regional to beat Rice on June 5: "I had two terrible at-bats previously and I just tried to flush it."
- Pitcher Anthony Ranaudo, quoted at LSUReveille.com after a bad outing against Virginia: "I just have to be able to flush it mentally and go out there with a new attitude and approach." He then allowed only 4 hits in 6 shutout innings to defeat Arkansas in the College World Series.
- LSU head coach Paul Mainieri, quoted at BayouBuzz.com after losing to Texas in the finals: "This just wasn't our night. We have to flush this loss and come out ready to play for the national championship on Wednesday night.
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Oh, and who was that pitcher who picked up the win for LSU in the deciding game against Texas? Frequent flusher Anthony Ranaudo.
So why don't more coaches use a mistake ritual (of which the Flush is only one example)? Is it because they haven't heard about it? They don't believe it works? It seems silly?
It can't be because it's complicated. You simply tell your players that mistakes are inevitable if you're trying hard. The goal isn't to avoid making mistakes but to bounce back from them quickly.
Give them a physical gesture to use after a mistake. I like making a flushing motion like I'm flushing the mistake down the toilet, but some coaches use "no sweat" and gesture like they are flicking sweat off their brow. Some coaches actually have their players write "Next" on one of their shoes and "Play" on the other so if they hang their head after a mistake they see "Next Play" staring up at them.
The real test is at crunch time. A player makes a mistake that really hurts. What you do then is crucial. If you turn away, scowl or throw your clipboard on the ground, your players won't learn to bounce back from mistakes. Instead make a flushing motion with your hand and say, "That's okay, big guy. Flush it!"
So help me out by clicking here to comment on our Youth Sports Spotlight blog. Let me know why you think more coaches don't use a mistake ritual with their teams. And, if you've used a mistake ritual, I'd love to hear your experience with it.
 Also, if you like PCA's advice about mistake rituals, click here to start or renew your PCA membership. You will receive an eco-friendly recyclable tote bag, touting PCA's effort to develop character through sports; a subscription to our Momentum print newsletter; and at higher levels of membership, a signed copy of my book, Positive Sports Parenting.
Most importantly, your membership will support PCA's continued effort to share tips such as the "mistake ritual" so that youth sports leaders, parents and coaches can provide our children with a positive, character-building youth sports experience.
-- Jim Thompson, PCA Founder
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Ask PCA: Parents Who Request Their Children's Friends on the Same Team |
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| The latest question on the "Ask PCA" blog addresses a topic that may be all too familiar to youth sports leaders throughout the country. Many of you do such a great job helping us help coaches and parents that we are sure you will share some terrific answers to this question:
"We frequently receive 'friend requests' from parents registering their children for the lacrosse season. Sometimes they claim it's necessary for carpooling, but sometimes requests extend to having five or six players put onto the same team (and at the level I coach, 3rd & 4th grade, we only have 7 players on the field at a time)!
"It seems some parents are trying to commandeer an entire team, and we are unsure how to handle the situation. This year, in our 5th & 6th grade program, a couple of parents were so upset at their girls not being put together that they pulled them from the program. I would be interested to learn how other youth organizations have handled similar situations."
--Terry Dzelzgalvis, coach, Lower Bucks (PA) Lacrosse
To read all responses to the previous "Ask PCA" question -- "Are Players Over-Coached?" -- including PCA's response from Joe Scally, Director of Training and Evaluation, click here. |
| My Youth Sports Story: A Story of Courage |
The latest installment of PCA's series of articles titled "My Youth Sports Story" concerns a youth baseball player whose father is fighting cancer.
Mike Green -- who coaches youth baseball in Boulder, CO -- wrote this wonderful exploration and explanation of the role sports can play in helping children cope with matters of true life and death.
To read A Story of Courage, click here. |
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| Money-Saving Incentives to Become a PCA Partner in July |
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| If you or any of your peers are considering a PCA Partnership, the time to act is now!
PCA is offering a $50 discount on any full partnership contracted on or before July 31. The first 15 full-partnership contracts returned in July will earn those partners 30 free workbooks of their choice, a $150 value.
A PCA Partnership includes a series of live group workshops; year-round account management services; access to a partners-only website with rich resources to bolster your Positive Coaching initiative; and subscriptions to newsletters and conference calls that provide helpful tips, tools and reminders on how to create a positive, character-building environment in your school or youth sports organization.
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Positive Coaching Alliance
www.PositiveCoach.org
Toll Free: 866-725-0024
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