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Shane Battier on Officials
PCA National Advisory Board Member Shane Battier is a Triple-Impact CompetitorTM, who works to improve himself, his teammates and the game. One way he improves the game is his unique approach toward officials. Even when he disagrees with their calls, he still treats referees with respect, as you can learn by clicking the video screen above.
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Sports Parenting Tips and Holiday Gifts
 "An athlete with a drained Emotional Tank likely will not perform as well as that same athlete with an overflowing Emotional Tank," writes PCA Founder and Executive Director Jim Thompson in Positive Sports Parenting. "That's partly why the home team wins almost 60 percent of the time in college and professional sports.
"Kids with full Emotional Tanks are more coachable. They are more open to your suggestions. When Emotional Tanks are full, people tend to be optimistic, deal better with adversity, and are more capable of changing their behavior in response to feedback given them, even by their parents!"
With many more tips likes these on Filling Emotional Tanks and other PCA principles and practices, Positive Sports Parenting and all of Jim Thompson's books, available for purchase here, make great holiday gifts.
 Another terrific gift is the new set of youth basketball coaching DVDs by PCA Trainer and California state high school champion basketball coach Ray Lokar. The DVDs provide tips on teaching fundamentals and conducting a practice, all while integrating PCA approaches.
As Jim Thompson says in introducing each video, "Ray Lokar is a fantastic Double-Goal Coach�. He wins on the scoreboard while using sports to teach life lessons to his players....Every time I talk to Ray I learn something new about coaching, so I know you're going to enjoy this DVD and learn a lot from it!"
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Coaching Tip: Criticism Sandwich
The "Criticism Sandwich" is a tried-and-true way to correct players when necessary while still filling their Emotional Tanks. Click the video screen above to see former Double-Goal Coach Award Finalist Doug Appleton deliver a criticism sandwich as part of the Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports Program Powered by Positive Coaching Alliance. |
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Ask PCA: Questionable Transfer
Your answers to our most recent "Ask PCA" question about using conditioning drills to punish poor performance were a landslide vote against that technique. To review that question and PCA's answer, you can continue scrolling through this item, but for now, consider this week's question:
Questionable Transfer
"My son started at point guard on his high school basketball team last season and led the team to a .500 record. This season, he is playing behind a phenomenally talented kid, who transferred to the school under questionable circumstances. This team has a chance to win state, and my son knows that would be a great experience, but between lack of playing time and ethical concerns, my son is considering quitting the team. How do you suggest I advise my son?"
-- Prefer to Remain Anonymous
Comment on this topic on the "Ask PCA" blog.
Following is the previous "Ask PCA" question and PCA's response:
"My daughter's high school coach punishes the team for poor performance by having them run laps and do push-ups. What do coaches and parents think about that technique?"
PCA Response by David Jacobson
One of the ultimate ironies of sports occurs when coaches discipline "lazy" players by making them run. Why is that ironic? Because it is lazy coaching.
If your players need conditioning, help them get it. If your players need discipline, help them get that. But don't fall back on running as discipline.
There at least two reasons: 1) Your players will come to despise running and other forms of conditioning because it feels like punishment. You want them to love running so that they will want to run and become the best-conditioned athletes possible. 2) You are abandoning an opportunity to teach life lessons about discipline, which is best done by talking about the subject and setting an example by exercising the discipline necessary to coach well.
For example, let's say that in an intra-squad scrimmage your players have trouble passing or receiving on the run. Don't default to punishing them with extra running. Instead, recognize the problem as one of conditioning and/or insufficient practice at these skills.
Address both issues at once by interrupting the scrimmage and instead of ordering laps in the name of "discipline" conduct a drill that demands running, passing and receiving. This way, their skills and conditioning both improve.
Your drill could include a competitive element, such as splitting the team in half and seeing who can complete the most passes on the run in a given time period. That helps avoid resentment that comes from mindless, endless laps and makes the practice fun so that players will want to continue acquiring the skills and conditioning they need. And you demonstrate creativity and discipline in your problem-solving.
You then can explain to your players after the drill that instead of knee-jerk reactions, creativity and true discipline are better approaches to problem-solving in sports and in life.
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Nominate Coaches for PCA's Double-Goal Coach Award Presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance
 Do 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).
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Support PCA's Annual Fund Now and Have Twice the Impact
A group of PCA supporters including Lakers Head Coach Phil Jackson will match every dollar given to PCA's Annual Fund before Dec 31st up to a total of $100,000.
Support PCA and help us reach our goal of impacting 1.4 million youth in 2011 alone. Donate now and have twice the impact. Click here to support PCA's Annual Fund now. Your participation enables PCA to continue developing winners on and off the field, leading to major league people.
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