Primary Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Youth Sports – Coach Resources Tip 7
Do your Athletes Look Up to You?
As a coach, you may know a small fraction of the impacts you make to a young athlete, but you’ll never know the full impact. Maybe you’ve made one of your athletes more respectful at home, a better student in the classroom, or a better sibling. But will your impact make them a better person… a better adult? Do they look up to you?
If you are a coach that paces the sidelines looking for the next opportunity to yell at the officials, or exacerbate a mistake made by one of your players, you may want to think about the long term impact that your behavior is having on your team.
The coach as a leader is more than just the person that’s controlling the game plan or running the drills at practice. The coach is a person that aims to earn the respect of his players by exemplifying the traits of a leader. Traits such as:
They demonstrate mercy and compassion (perhaps when having a significant advantage over an opponent, allowing sportsmanship to be his creed)
They remain positive and resilient in good times and in bad by celebrating the successes of the team (or individual), not necessarily the game wins. Staying poised when faced with adversity (perhaps after an official’s call that was detrimental to the team)
They demonstrate trust and loyalty (by ensuring a well balanced approach to the deployment of their team without favoritism)
They are a knowledgable resource (by becoming a student of their sport, learning from their own coaching mistakes as we expect the kids to learn from their player mistakes)
They provide courage (If their opponent is bigger, he claims to be faster, if the other team is faster, he’ll claim to play smarter, if the other team is smarter, He’ll play with more HEART) and fill the emotional tanks of his team.
Its NEVER to late to become a better you, a better leader and better youth sports coach.Admit your shortcomings to your team and tell them what you are going to do different in the next game. Give your players every reason to look up to you, and want to become you.
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