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Positive Coaching Alliance Connector
April 1, 2010
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Jack Tierney: Profile of a Double-Goal Coach
In
celebration of the 2010 winners of PCA's Double-Goal Coach Award Presented by
Liberty Mutual Insurance, PCA Connector will occasionally profile these
coaches. Our featured coach this week is Jack
Tierney, head
coach for the St. Philip's Saints of BRIDGE Lacrosse Dallas.
PCA Lead Trainer Harry Colon (left) and PCA-Dallas Executive Director Barry Smink (right) honor Jack Tierney at a PCA workshop
 | Coaching in a US Lacrosse-sanctioned
BRIDGE organization (Building Relationships to Initiate Diversity, Growth
and Enrichment), Tierney mentors underserved youth
in South Dallas. The cross-cultural exchanges between inner-city youth players
and those from more affluent areas provide an "experience they never would have
had without lacrosse," Tierney said. "It's really neat to see lightbulbs go off
over people's heads on both sides of the field. We're truly building a bridge
between races and between socioeconomic situations and exposing both sides of
that bridge to another facet of life."
BRIDGE Lacrosse Dallas President and
Founder Edie Lycke nominated Tierney, writing: "He cajoles, encourages, teases
(in a positive way), bellows, jokes, prods, kids and anything else he needs to
do to get the players to hear what he's saying and remember it. And what he's
saying is not just about lacrosse but also about values, such as commitment,
responsibility, respect and integrity."
The
sort of commitment Jack Tierney brings to character development in youth
through sport makes PCA and Liberty Mutual proud to honor him as a Double-Goal
Coach Award winner for 2010.
For more on the PCA/Liberty Mutual
partnership, including access to, videos, tips, guides for parents and coaches,
and the chance to win a $2,500 grant for your school or youth sports
organization by May 31st, visit the Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports Program powered by Positive Coaching Alliance. |
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Ask PCA: Benching My Own Son
Thanks for your responses to last week's "Ask PCA" question about co-ed play for U-8 players. You can scroll down to read PCA's response, but, for now, consider this week's question:
Benching My Own Son
"I am coaching my son's middle-school basketball team, and we were off to a 6-0 start. Then, to discipline my son for getting in trouble with a teacher, I benched him for a game, even though there was no rule that I had to do so, and we lost that game. Now the other players' parents are upset with me for costing the team a win. Did I make a mistake? And what do I do now?"
-- Coach Dave
Click here to comment on this topic on the "Ask PCA" blog.
Following is the previous "Ask PCA" question and PCA's response:
"In our U-8 league, we are considering co-ed
play so that we can include the girls who want to play. Is that
age-appropriate? And should there be rules about how many girls are on
the field at once for each team?"
PCA Response by Jim Thompson, Founder and Executive Director
As kids get older, size,
strength and ability differences become more pronounced. However, at 6
and 7 years of age, there is often little difference in these areas between
girls and boys, so a co-ed program makes sense, especially if it means that
more girls will be able to play. I see no need to limit the number of
girls on the field at the same time but there should be minimum playing time
regulations so coaches will not be tempted to keep their weaker players (boys
or girls) on the bench.
Even at somewhat older age levels a co-ed program can work. There is
always going to be a range on a particular team from strongest to weakest
player. Coaches always will have to wrestle with playing-time philosophy
and their "fear-of-losing profile."
There will also always be mismatches even in same-gender sports. So
coaches will always have to make mature, thoughtful decisions on how to handle
match-ups between "uneven" teams. Teaching players how to
support each other, how to respect differences in ability, and how to fill each
others' Emotional Tanks are universal requirements of a Double-Goal Coach.
For co-ed programs, it can be especially important to get parents on board with
PCA values such as Honoring The Game, athletes focusing on the ELM Tree of
Mastery (E for Effort, L for Learning, M for bouncing back from Mistakes), and
filling Emotional Tanks of teammates. Although the focus of co-ed sports
is often to benefit girls, the positive lessons for boys can also be
huge. Learning to treat females with respect can flow from boys being on
the same team with girls, especially when coached by a Double-Goal Coach.
Powerful and lasting life lessons can be learned from playing in this situation
for both genders as men working effectively with and for women is a
reality in the workplace. Boys who learn to do this early on will have a
leg up in their careers after their playing days are over.
Read all the Ask PCA blog comments on this question.
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Coaching Tip: Making Parents an Asset
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Following is one of the ten case studies in The Power of Double Goal Coaching, the latest book by PCA Founder and Executive Director Jim Thompson. Making Parents an AssetThe last time you coached, parents
were a negative influence that kept your team from achieving its
potential. It's a new season with new players and parents. As a
Double-Goal Coach, what can you do to avoid a repeat of last season?
Some coaches only want to coach kids, not deal with unruly or unreasonable parents. But kids bring parents with them. Here's how to make parents an asset to your team.
- When your team has been formed, call players to tell them you are excited they are on your team. Then ask to speak to their mom or dad. Tell the parent that you look forward to working with them to help their child have a terrific experience this season, and that you will soon send a letter or e-mail explaining your Double-Goal coaching philosophy.
- Use a parent meeting to review the principles of Double-Goal Coaching (ELM Tree of Mastery, Filling Emotional Tanks, and Honoring the Game). Ask them to promote these ideas with the team. Tell them you know your team will get bad calls, but ask them to commit to Honoring the Game no matter what.
- Explain that the Emotional Tank and the ELM Tree of Mastery are research-based concepts that are keys to their child's performance. Ask them to fill E-Tanks and reinforce the ELM Tree with their child throughout the season.
- Hand out the PCA Parent Pledge. After you have reviewed the document, ask them if they have any questions. Then ask them to sign it.
- Recruit "Culture Keepers" for the team who will work to keep other parents positive on the sidelines during games.
- When in doubt, communicate. Coaches run into problems when they assume parents understand why they coach the way they do. Don't assume. If you have rules about playing time or missing practice, for example, tell them. Ask them to contact you with concerns rather than share them with their child. Give them your contact information and let them know when to talk with you (e.g., not right before practice). Over-communicating will save you time over the course of the season, and it will enhance your players' experience.
- Fill parents' E-Tanks with truthful and specific praise when they do something positive. Thank them for helping you build a positive team culture. Try to tell them something positive about their child every time you see them (again being truthful and specific). If you do, they will think you are a genius as a coach!
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Register for Character Combine by April 5
One of the great annual events focused on character development through sport is Character Combine. This year's event at
Antelope (Calif.) High School, near Sacramento, features Sean Tuohy, the adoptive father of NFL star Michael Oher, whose story lived in The Blind Side by renowned author Michael Lewis and in the Academy Award-winning film of the same title. Character Combine is a one-day training venue for coaches and their captains/players of influence, scheduled for April 24, 9am-3pm. A continental breakfast, lunch, all materials, and a Combine gift bag is included in your online $5 registration fee. After April 5, registration fees rise to $10. No-walk ups will be allowed.
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Bruce Horowitz, Beverly Hills Basketball League, Support LA-Area Workshops
 Bruce Horowitz, who helped found Beverly Hills
Basketball League (BHBL) which is now in its 10th year working with PCA and
which has won the PCA Honoring the Game Award, has come to the PCA forefront
again. As though it were not enough for Bruce to share with PCA his creation of
the "2-Minute Drills" -- now a staple of PCA partnerships with
hundreds of schools and youth sports organizations nationwide -- Bruce and BHBL
recently sponsored a series of PCA workshops in underserved Southern California
communities.
Said Gustave Hernandez, Recreation Coordinator at City of Huntington Park,
which received BHBL funds to host a workshop: "Thanks for this
opportunity. Given that we are in an unstable economy and funds are very
scarce, it is not feasible for our program to send our parents and coaches to
any formal training. Thanks to Beverly Hills Basketball League, our parents and
coaches received a very enjoyable, empowering workshop that gave us the
momentum we needed to have a successful basketball program."
Organizations that were able to run PCA workshops because of BHBL's support
include:
- Angels RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) League, Orange County
- Basic Basketball, Inglewood
- City of Diamond Bar Parks
- City of Huntington Park
- Miguel Contreras Learning Complex, Los Angeles
- Preuss School, San Diego
On behalf of the thousands of youths impacted by these workshops, PCA thanks Bruce and BHBL.
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Support PCA
PCA is a non-profit committed to transforming youth sports so that all athletes through high school age can benefit from the life lessons that are uniquely available through sports.
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