Are You a “Positive” Coach?

By Kathy Toon

Being involved with youth sports, I enjoy reading articles and  insights from coaches and trainers. One of my favorites is Coach Kathy Toon.  I strongly recommend you visit her site. Great articles and philosophies on all aspects of sports.

Since I work with the Positive Coaching Alliance , this article by Coach Toon struck a chord. 

 

 

Are You A “Positive Coach”

A seemingly simple question. Yet when asked whether he was a “positive” or a “negative” coach, one of my coaching mentors replied, “neither, rather I am an honest one”. He went on to say “I feel that the connotations for “positive” are the whole hovering helicopter parent phenomenon and the give trophies to everyone movement. The always give positive feedback movement has not been a good one for our kids.”

Now, many of you know I worked for the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) for 8 years and remain a senior trainer for the organization. My mentor’s comments made me pause. I thought back to my first introduction to PCA – an article in the SF Chronicle featuring Phil Jackson. I still remember my eyes rolling when I first read the phrase “positive coaching” and thinking that’s for little kids. I’m a college coach. Still to this day, I describe myself as a “challenging” coach vs a positive one.

Next, my curiosity drove me to Webster’s. What does the word “positive” actually mean? I discovered 17 different entries! Number 3 dealt with mind set so I started there. It reads a) “having the mind set or settled; confident; assured [a positive person] b) overconfident or dogmatic”.

Here in lies the rub. As coaches we want our athletes to be confident and assured yet not overconfident. I guess what really matters is what a coach is, not what they are called.

What kind of coach are you?

For more great informaton visit Coach Toon 

Parents – Grab A Whistle and Give it a Try

I attended the finals of a high school girls basketball tournament last night. Now remember, this is a summer tournament, not  a high school event.

It just amazes me to sit and listen to the comments being made. Parents yelling at the kids, or even worse other players on the team. Yelling at officials. SUMMER GAME!

Excuse me if this sounds bad, but so many times I look at the father screaming and shouting instructions the loudest and I would bet my last dollar this guy never played competitive basketball in his life! Read more

Softball Team Shows it is More than Wins and Loses

Update below: Youth Sports and it’s coaches, provide the perfect classroom for life lessons. This article about a girls softball team is a heartwarming example

Northampton Softball Team Making a Difference

Update:

At the softball teams dinner banquet, Gabby was invited to attend and was honored. She also provided small gifts to each of the players. She is still undergoing treatments and is battling leukemia like a true champion. She is doing fabulous. Gabby also attended a Miracle League game to become an Angel in the Outfield. This is one remarkable young girl. Her mother, father, and sister are just a wonderful, supportive and humble family.

Here is a picture of Gabby with  Alex – the teams record setting pitcher who will be attending Bucknell University in the fall on scholarship, and  with all the graduating seniors. The teams record was 18-6 and lost to the eventual State Champions in the District playoffs.  What an inspirational group of young women! Read more

Why Her Son Pitched the Game of His Life and Never Pitched Again

If you’re a coach for a youth program and you don’t think you can make a difference, you need to read this parents story.

A son, all the talent and drive in the world, abruptly decides to walk away from the game he loved. Why?  What happened?  What caused  him to decide he no longer wanted to play the game any longer?

Read this disturbing account posted by the Positive Coaching  Alliance A Change in My Son

Share your comments and thoughts.

Recommended Reading – Get Your Game Face On by Kathy Toon

Single Dad Life is recommending a limited-time opportunity to download  free a new book, Get Your Game Face On, by Kathy Toon, a long-time Positive Coaching Alliance Trainer and former PCA Product Development Manager. Get Your Game Face On incorporates many Positive Coaching Alliance techniques, such as using a Mistake Ritual to help athletes bounce back from mistakes.

In true PCA fashion, Game Face knits together life lessons and sports. For example, while the book prescribes specific mental steps to take during competition, it also explores how daily life away from sports contributes to athletic performance.

For your sneak peek at Get Your Game Face On, only through May 31, click here.

Should My Child Specialize in One Sport?

Positive Coaching Alliance  National Conversation on Good Coaching

“The Specialist”

Situation – As practice is winding down, Coach Hastings motions you over for

a private conversation about your child, who shows enough raw

athletic ability to excel. Coach tells you your child has great potential

but should specialize as soon as possible, eschewing other

sports and training year-round, especially if you hope for a college

scholarship for your child. Coach Hastings is a technically skilled

coach who has had a number of athletes earn college scholarships.

Query

• How do you respond?

• What considerations inform your decision?

• How, if at all, do you discuss this with your child?

• Would your response vary depending on the age of your child?

• Is there a certain age at which specialization makes the most sense?

Response by PCA Founder Jim Thompson Read more

Bottom 10 Moments and Top 10 Moments in Sports, 2008

Each week, Single Dad Life publish articles of interest about youth sports.

PCA annually releases this list of the worst and best behavior in sports from pee-wees to the pros to stimulate discussion among parents, coaches, players and educators. And, in an excerpt from his book, Positive Sports Parenting, PCA Founder and Executive Director Jim Thompson explains how coaches and parents can help youth and high school athletes process the life lessons contained in the Bottom 10 and Top 10 Moments.

Enjoy the Video of the Top Moment!

Read more

What is the Positive Coaching Alliance

Founded as a non-profit within the Stanford University Athletic Department in 1998, Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) has the mission of “transforming youth sports so sports can transform youth.” To that end, PCA has conducted roughly 6,000 live group workshops nationwide for more than 300,000 youth and high school sports leaders, coaches, parents and athletes. Workshop attendees have helped create a positive, character-building youth sports environment for more than 3 million youth athletes.

PCA has the support of elite coaches and athletes on a National Advisory Board, including National Spokesperson, Los Angeles Lakers Coach Phil Jackson; NBA and NCAA Champion Coach Larry Brown; Former University of North Carolina Basketball Head Coach Dean Smith; Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Herm Edwards; Former Senator Bill Bradley; NBA Player ShaneBattier; NFL Hall of Famers Ronnie Lott and Tony Dorsett; and Olympic Gold Medalists Jennifer Azzi, Ruthie Bolton, Nadia Comaneci, Bart Conner, Joy Fawcett, Dot Richardson, Summer Sanders and Kerri Strug.

As a proud PCA Champion, SingleDadLife.com  and it’s founder hope you invite us into your league or district for training on how to become a Certified PCA Partner. For more information about how to schedule a Training for your Coaches and Parents, visit www.positivecoach.org

Winning and Positive Sports Parenting Actually Go Together

Interview with Jim Thompson, author of Positive Parenting & Founder & Executive Director of The Positive Coaching Alliance