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Positive Coaching Alliance Connector
October 26, 2010
 
David Jacobson, Editor

In This Issue:
Summer Sanders' Sports Parenting Tip
Ask PCA: Coach Wants to Text My Son
Coaching Tip: Honor the Game
Nominate Coaches for PCA's Double-Goal Coach Award Presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance
Summer Sanders' Sports Parenting Tip

Summer_Sanders_YouTube

You might be surprised how little pressure many elite athletes felt from their parents. In this excerpt from Summer Sanders' video shoot for PCA's online courses, she shares her experience with her parents en route to becoming an Olympic Gold Medalist. Click the screen image above to watch and learn.

 
Ask PCA: Coach Wants to Text My Son

Thanks for your great replies to our most recent "Ask PCA" question about teammates who purposely let their opponents score on a defenseless goalkeeper. To review that question and PCA's answer, you can continue scrolling through this item, but for now, consider this week's question:
  
Coach Wants to Text My Son

My 14-year-old son's travel hockey coach asked all the parents for the kids' cell phone numbers and said he will communicate directly with the kids via text message about newly scheduled practices and games. I was the only holdout, asking the coach to continue e-mailing me and telling him he is not to have direct contact with my son outside of practices and games. The coach has refused to comply, and now my son is missing the coaches' notices. What can we do?

-- Vito from New York 

Comment on this topic on the "Ask PCA" blog.

Following is the previous "Ask PCA" question and PCA's response:
We had a recent unfortunate display of sportsmanship within our U9 boys' soccer team. The field players gave up and and left our goalie in a four-on-one situation three times in a row. It ended with the goalie sobbing with fear and disappointment that his teammates let him down. When he expressed his unhappiness a teammate said, "I hate you."

How best do we address this? What words of resilience and  encouragement do we give the goalie? What words of sportsmanship and respect do we give the players who stopped trying?

 

PCA Response by Eric Eisendrath, Lead Trainer-New York
At PCA, we talk about sports teaching life lessons, and this is certainly an opportunity for you to instill a greater understanding of respect for teammates and oneself as part of Honoring the Game. I strongly encourage the coaches to start the next practice by addressing what happened in the last game.

 

Before doing that however, I would pull the goalie aside privately, fill him with pride for hanging in there and let him know he has the coaches' support. I also would have a separate, private conversation with the boy who said, "I hate you" to let him know that is unacceptable, that he owes his teammate an apology and that it is important to support his teammates.

In the team meeting, reinforce the importance of players respecting their teammates and themselves. Coaches might start by asking, "What did you notice in our last game?" to get players talking, and at some point explain that the players did not support and respect each other, as is required to be on the team: "You owe it to yourself and your teammates to provide maximum effort. I did not see that at the end of our last game, and I know that you all can do better than that, and we coaches expect better."

 

Stay focused on these life lessons. The players are old enough to understand these principles, but because not all of the players have heard this message do not speak harshly. Instead, point out that each player is capable of achieving these goals. By addressing this now, and continuing to praise effort above all else, you will begin to cultivate a more supportive culture for your team.

 


Ask PCA your youth sports coaching and sports parenting questions, at
[email protected]


Coaching Tip: Honor the Game

Honor_Tested

 

The PCA model of Honoring the Game through ROOTS (Respect for Rules, Opponents, Officials, Teammates and Self), requires great restraint when your opponents are not honoring the game.

 

To watch Coach Doug Appleton, a past finalist for PCA's Double-Goal Coach Award, as he reinforces a player for exercising that restraint, click the video screen above, part of the Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports Program Powered by Positive Coaching Alliance.

 

Nominate Coaches for PCA's Double-Goal Coach Award Presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance 

2011_DGC_300pxDo you know a Double-Goal Coach, whose first goal is winning, and whose second, more-important goal is teaching life lessons through sports? If so, nominate that coach for PCA's Double-Goal Coach Award Presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance. Winners of this prestigious national award receive a $250 cash award, a plaque, and recognition in PCA's publications, website and media campaigns as well as on ResponsibleSports.com.

 

The nomination deadline is December 31, 2010! 

 

Criteria of a Double-Goal Coach

  • Redefines "Winner" through a focus on mastery, rather than a scoreboard orientation, teaching players that a "winner" makes maximum effort, continues to learn and improve, and is not stopped by mistakes or fear of mistakes.
  • Fills Players' Emotional Tanks, refusing to motivate through fear, intimidation, or shame. Recognizing that a player's "Emotional Tank," like the gas tank of a car, must be full in order to go anywhere, the Double-Goal Coach provides a fuel mixed of five specific, truthful praises for every specific, constructive correction.
  •  Honors the Game by respecting ROOTS (Rules, Opponents, Officials, Teammates, Self).  

 

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.

 

If you value the ideas, tips, and insights we share in this PCA Connector e-newsletter, kindly consider donating to PCA.

  


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