by admin | May 12, 2014 | Uncategorized
Check out These Articles from The Educated Sports Parent for Parents The Role of the Sport Parent Parents: How’s Your Behavior? The Importance of Parental Involvement in Youth Sports When Dad or Mom is the Coach Further Information on Other Sites Questions Parents Should Ask – from Kids Sports Network National Summit on Raising Community Standards in Children’s Sports – by National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS) My Sports Story: Segner Field – A moving account by Mike Hall of the impact parent-coaches can have on their children. Books Parents May Find Useful Just Let the Kids Play: How to Stop Other Adults from Ruining Your Child’s Fun and Success in Youth Sports by Bigelow, B., Moroney, T. & Hall, L. The Cheers and the Tears: A Healthy Alternative to the Dark Side of Youth Sports Today by Shane Murphy, Ph. D. The Sports Parenting Edge by Rick Wolff Beyond the Bleachers: The Art of Parenting Today’s Athletes by George A. Selleck and David C. Epperson The Competitive Edge by Dr. Jeffrey...
by admin | May 12, 2014 | Uncategorized
How to Create a Mastery-Oriented Environment Sport psychology research has shown that the motivational climate/environment created by the coach has a direct effect on the players’ experience. As a coach, you set the tone of the youth sports experience for your team members. Coaches are in charge of structuring the practice drills and activities. Coaches control what aspects of the sport are emphasized within their team. Coaches control how they react to discipline issues and how they handle children with differing abilities. At times the decisions that coaches sometimes make regarding these issues may end up creating an environment that places emphasis on performance outcome rather than personal achievement. This type of environment does not promote enjoyment, or positive attitudes toward fair play and moral reasoning. There are two basic motivational climates: a mastery, task-oriented climate and a competitive, ego-oriented climate. According to Cox (1) “A mastery climate is one in which athletes receive positive reinforcement from the coach when they (a) work hard, (b) demonstrate improvement, (c) help others learn through cooperation, and (d) believe that each player’s contribution is important” (p. 39). In contrast, a competitive climate is defined as “one in which athletes perceive that (a) poor performance and mistakes will be punished, (b) high-ability athletes will receive the most attention and recognition, and (c) competition between team members is encouraged by the coach” (1, p. 39) Mastery-Oriented Motivational Climate A mastery climate is one in which personal accomplishment is emphasized through the way practice is structured. Athletes are encouraged to develop a self-referenced perception of success, where their success is measured by their own personal...
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...
