Responsible Sports Coach Tips Archive
These tips are taken directly from Liberty Mutual's Responsible Sports Program's "Tips of the Week." To receive the weekly e-mails, sign up at the Responsible Sports web site.
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5/19/09
After each practice, assess how well you covered each item on your written practice plan. Make sure to add to your next practice plan the items that still need more work. Do the same thing after games, so you can make reactive daily adjustments.
Plannng is also needed to ensure you are filling your players' emotional tanks. For help, use the Positive Charting worksheet. Get the chart!
5/14/09
Use stations during practice to keep everyone actively involved. Players can drill without your constant supervision. You can simply rove throughout the stations providing instruction and calling rotations as necessary.
Watch a youth softball coach use the Buddy System to teach her players how they can help each other. Check it out!
5/7/09
Don't scrimmage the same way all the time. Make scrimmages harder or easier based on the relative emotional-tank levels of your team. You can add or subtract players or make special rules to break the monotony.
4/30/09
The next time you're officiating your own team's scrimmage, intentionally make a bad call. Some of your players will react negatively. Call timeout and remind everyone to respect officials, even when disagreeing with the call.
Watch a youth soccer coach teach his team how to react to a bad call. Check it out!
4/23/09
If you condition your athletes, ask yourself three questions. Is the conditioning age appropriate? Is it applicable to the sport? Is it fun? If you answered "No" to any of these questions, change your drills. You might be doing more harm than good.
Player safety advice can be found in the Responsible Sports coaching toolkit. Check it out!
4/16/09
Players need to "buy in" to new techniques and strategies, so explain how new skills will help in a game situation. Then, ask your athletes for additional input that can help the team.
Watch a youth coach prep his players for the big game. View video.
4/9/09
If athletes arrive at practice with poor body language or in a bad mood, fill their emotional tanks. They'll retain far more of your instruction that day.
4/2/09
The amount of instruction players can accept varies widely with age and personality types. When players start staring off into space, stop instructing and break into an activity.
3/26/09
Do a team cheer not only at the end of practice, but also at the beginning. A cheer signals players that it's time to forget about off-the-field concerns and focus on the practice or game.
2/12/09
Create rewards other than MVP to reward what you value. Try selecting the Most Valuable Teammate, or a giving hustle award like the Dirty Shirt.
2/5/09
While your players are competing, try to limit your instruction. It can be distracting. Instead, use trigger words, one or two-word phrases, to remind them of previous instruction.
1/28/09
If you are a rookie coach, don't try to do it all yourself -- seek advice from an administrator or veteran coach. If you are an experienced coach, offer to help a rookie coach who might be afraid to ask.
1/21/09
We define elite athletes as Triple-Impact Competitors -- they make themselves better, they make their teammates better, and they make the game better. Reinforce the value of those second and third impacts whenever possible to build character in your athletes.
1/15/09
Use the Buddy System. Pair up your athletes during practice and challenge them to fill their buddy's emotional tank. You can make it a competition, and they can keep score of how many positive things they say to each other.
1/8/09
We define elite athletes as Triple-Impact Competitors -- they make themselves better, they make their teammates better, and they make the game better. Reinforce the value of those second and third impacts whenever possible to build character in your athletes.
12/17/08
Watching elite athletes in their sport on TV can help your athletes learn. Challenge them to find some difficult technique that a player used and then bring it back to you. You might be able to teach it to the entire team and make everyone better.
12/11/08
Develop a written coaching philosophy. Write down a few things about what you value as a coach (e.g. talent development, having fun), and then write a paragraph designed to teach parents why your philosophy is so important to their children's education. Share this with the parents before the season.
12/4/08
Practice your self-control routine. Next time you're driving and someone cuts you off, remind yourself to take at least three deep breaths. You can also try it when you're watching your favorite sports team on TV. Once you've practiced your self-control routine, it should come naturally when you need it on the sideline.
11/27/08
At the midway point of the competition, if your team has an insurmountable lead, create new challenges for your players. Have them play positions they have never played before. Have them try difficult skills or use their opposite hand or leg.
11/21/08
Before a game against a challenging opponent, tell your athletes that "Nervous is normal" and that feeling will never go away. Being nervous shows that you care about doing well for your teammates, so it's a good thing! As a coach, remind them that you don't expect perfection. All you want is their best effort.
11/14/08
Before a game ask the officials if they would like to speak to your team and/or your parents. This show of cooperation sets the expectation of how everyone should respect the officials.
11/7/08
Make a list of all the things your athletes should be doing on game day (e.g. eating right, proper sleep) and a list of things they should avoid (e.g. swimming, not hydrating, etc.). Share these lists with the athletes AND their parents.
10/30/08
What if the worst should happen? Your star athlete fouls out. Your best defensive strategy isn't working. Think about what could happen, and be ready with a backup plan if it occurs.
10/23/08
Ask your athletes to visualize what will happen in the game, so they can become comfortable with performing in a "clutch" situation before ever taking the field. Either as a team or individually, have them close their eyes and guide them through this visualization right before your next competition.
