by admin | May 12, 2014 | Uncategorized
These youth sport coaching tips are good guidelines Always remember that kids are not mini-adults and that they have different needs than do high school and college athletes. Youth programs often times forget this and do not make any modifications to make their programs age-appropriate. Make practice fun! Remember, kids are there to have fun and learn. Winning is a low priority for most kids. Keep practice enjoyable and don’t take yourself too seriously! Include lots of games. Young kids have short attention spans and will get easily bored by repetitive practice drills. Include a lot of games in your practice plan that will work on skills and at the same time be fun. The games do not have to have a winner and a loser. In fact, this might take the fun out of the game. Emphasize what the kids do right. Success has long been defined by the final score. That leaves the kids on the lower scoring end feeling unsuccessful when in fact they may have played the greatest game of their lives. Help kids redefine success as improvement, and emphasize what they do right instead of constantly reminding them of what they do wrong. Redefine success as making progress, improving skills, and playing to the best of one’s ability instead of just having the winning score. This is important in youth sports because so many kids can become discouraged and quit if they are always on the losing end and see this as...
by admin | May 12, 2014 | Uncategorized
Coaching youth sports can be a very rewarding activity. You are present to observe your team growing and learning, facing challenges, and experiencing success. But being a coach brings with it a huge responsibility. As a coach you are also a teacher and a role model for your athletes. You are ultimately responsible for making sure each one of your team members has the most positive experience possible. By the nature of the work you do, you have the opportunity to make a tremendous impression on the lives of the youth under your direction. In fact, research has shown that coaches impact the motivation, enthusiasm, enjoyment, and self-concept of youth sports participants. What is even more critical to realize is that these factors also influence long-term involvement in sports (1). Chances are you have heard stories of a coach who, through his or her influence, has had a tremendous impact in the life of a youth headed in the wrong direction, or maybe you even have your own experiences of being there for a child in a precarious situation who needs advice. I know I remember each and every one of my coaches starting with my first day at soccer practice in elementary school through my last track practice in college. Most of the memories are good ones, but there are also memories of a coach or two who had good intentions but just had no business coaching. You have a decision to make. Are you going to be the coach who leaves your team members with fond memories for years to come, or will you be the coach...
by admin | May 12, 2014 | Uncategorized
It is just as important for youth with disabilities to be physically active and have the opportunity to participate in sports. Many organizations exist to provide opportunities for these athletes. Here is a list of a few. America’s Athletes with Disabilities – Click on Links to find a long list of sites for athletes with disabilities. American Association of Adapted Sports Programs (AAASP) – “AAASP’s mission is to oversee the partnership of leaders in education and community to lay the foundation for a national network of interscholastic adapted athletic programs.” Originally started in Georgia, AASP has launched Project ASPIRE to help youth with disabilities get involved in sports throughout the nation. Find out about the sports AASP offers as well as how you can get involved. Athletes Helping Athletes – This organization helps provide handcycles to children with disabilities so that they can get involved in physical activity. Parents of a child with a disability can find out how to apply for a grant at this site. Blaze Sports Clubs of America – Offers opportunities to both adults and children with a wide range of disabilities Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) – This organization provides grants to people with all types of physical disabilities so that they can participate in a physically active lifestyle. Directory of Sports Organizations for Athletes with Disabilities – This page provides a directory of organizations offering a wide range of sports from Archery to Wilderness and Hiking for athletes with disabilities. Exceptionally Excited Kids (EEK) – EEK Fitness is a non-profit organization for all special needs children and adults with physical or mental disabilities Fishing...
by admin | May 12, 2014 | Uncategorized
Developmentally Appropriate Youth Soccer Modifications Kindergarten-Second Suggested Soccer Modifications Keep practice and games to one session per week Limit the weekly session to no more than one hour Use fun and games to teach skills instead of drills Make sure all players have a ball and are involved in every activity Play small-sided games, and use subs as outlet pass receivers on the sidelines in the offensive third of the field to keep them involved Limit the season to 3 months Do not keep scores or league standings (1) Third-Fifth Grade Suggested Soccer Modifications Separate the games from practice Hold one practice and one game per week Limit practice and games to one hour Limit roster to 8 players Play 6 v 6 during games Use subs as outlet pass receivers during games Let the players take turns keeping score Limit the season to 3 months Do not keep league standings or have playoffs (1) Sixth-Eighth Grade Suggested Soccer Modifications Play small sided games of 8 v 8 Limit the roster to 12 players Allow all players to have equal playing time in all positions Extend the length of the game to 70 minutes Play 12 games over the course of 3 months Hold no more than two 90-minute practices per week Playoffs are OK, but use a round-robin style Let the players keep score De-emphasized league standings are OK (1) Other Information on Soccer Rule Modifications The US Youth Soccer Association has made rule modifications all the way up to the U12 age group in an effort to make the game more developmentally appropriate. Modifications include decreasing the number of players on...
by admin | May 12, 2014 | Uncategorized
Developmentally Appropriate Youth Hockey Modifications Mites Divide mites into a 5-7 year-old age group and an 8-9 year-old group at a minimum Hold only one hourly practice per week Limit season to 3 to 3 1/2 months Set up 3-4 stations throughout the entire rink where all players can simultaneously be working on different skills Scrimmage the width of the rink, not the length, and hold multiple scrimmages at once so everyone is involved Do not give the mites the leftovers when it comes to practice time. They may not understand why they have to wake up in the middle of the night to make it to a 5 am practice Allow all players to play all positions (1) The USA Hockey website offers material on skills progressions to help set up a developmentally appropriate program References (1) Bigelow, B., Moroney, T. & Hall, L. (2001). Just Let the Kids Play: How to Stop Other Adults from Ruining Your Child’s Fun and Success in Youth Sports. Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications,...
