Some coaches may think that when they've stopped instructing our athletes, they’ve stopped coaching. If you’re like me, silence on the field (or other sport setting) can feel unsettling. Resisting the urge to fill that quiet space is difficult. Coaches want to help athletes—to offer knowledge/experience that can assist athletes in reaching their goals. This … Continue reading Beyond “Positivity” Part III: Coaching with Silence

What coaches say matters. More than the substance of our feedback, when and how we communicate can also meaningfully impact athletes. When coaches offer feedback refers to timing and frequency of communication. How coaches communicate regards psychological meanings that we convey—and athletes perceive—through an expression. Subtleties of coach feedback that can influence how athletes appraise … Continue reading Beyond “Positivity” Part II: When and How Coaches Communicate

“The difference between the right and the almost right word is the difference between lightening and the lightening bug.” –Mark Twain Coaching requires more than the transmission of technical and tactical knowledge from coach to athlete. Coaches’ beliefs, expectations, and behaviors impact their players; and, their attitudes and actions shape the broader motivational climate to … Continue reading Beyond “Positivity” Part I: What Coaches Say Matters

For coaches of all levels, numerous charged responses to the NFL protests may make unpacking the events seem daunting. Do not be discouraged! If you read Part I, you are already more familiar with the relationship between sport and social order/disorder and concepts central to the debate: civic responsibility and respect. Athletes, coaches, and public … Continue reading More Than Just a Game Part II: From Awareness to Action

Recent protest by NFL players and teams shows how athletes, coaches, and administrators can use athletics to challenge social norms and the status quo. Sport can likewise function to reinforce existing social dynamics and maintain social order. As youth coaches, intersections between sport and broad, complex social issues (e.g., elite athlete activism) may seem less … Continue reading More Than Just a Game Part I: Sport as a Protector of Social Order and Platform for Social Activism

  Recall the action item from last week: to explore what principles guide your coaching by reflecting on what good coaching means and what it might looks like to you. A convenient segue to today’s topic, guiding principles and deliberate reflection are two concepts at relevant to coaching as a practice and coach development, and … Continue reading Coaching Starting Points

This week I had the privilege of hearing Dr. Wade Gilbert of Fresno State University deliver the Kristen Marie Gould Endowed Lecture on Sport for Children and Youth at Michigan State University. Here are my two take-home messages from his presentation, “Become The Coach You Always Wanted to Play for”: TAKE-HOME 1: Use principles instead … Continue reading What does good coaching mean to you?

This blog promotes a BOTH-AND Approach to youth sport coaching. Here are the key tenets to a BOTH-AND Approach: To connect with athletes BOTH as players AND people. Coaches are in a unique position: we can not only help athletes acquire physical skills, but can also shape their self-perceptions and expectations, impact how they define … Continue reading The Both-And Coaching Breakdown