Athletic Training Now

Any avid sports player or enthusiast knows that attack and defensive strategies are important if you ever hope to win a game. In hockey, there are certain key formations,
techniques and strategies that are helpful in obtaining that result. Formations
are described in numbers that depict the tally of players placed in different
parts of the field for different purposes.

• Formations

Formations usually start from the point of the goal with the defenders. Right behind them are the midfield and finally, the team members tasked with attacking the opposite team
with the aim of scoring a goal. A typical example of a hockey formation is
4-4-2 or 5-3-2. In this case, it means that there are four defensive team members,
four midfielders and two attackers. In the second scenario, there are five
defensive, three midfielders and two attackers.

• Strong Defense

Your team’s formation is determined by the strength of its attack or defense. If your coach knows that you have a strong defensive team, he or she may focus on attack and midfield
sections and place only a few players on the defense. Alternatively, they may
anticipate that the opposing team will expect them to do that and put more
players on the defense to throw the opposing team off. You need a strong
defense if you know the opposing team has a strong attack.

Conversely, you may want to keep the opposing team as far from your goal post as possible. Keeping them busy in the attacking and midfield zones as well, will make it difficult for them to score. As they say, the best defense is offense. The variations to
these plays are virtually limitless and your coach may switch up severally
during a game to achieve maximum results.

• Attacking techniques

One of the best ways to attack the goal of your opponent’s team is through fakes. There are several fakes that may be carried out individually or as a team to dupe your opponents.
You can fake using your hockey stick, your body or both. You can also change

your pace by either speeding up or slowing down especially when shooting to the
goal or trying to take the puck from an opponent. Pass fakes are one of the
most effective fakes used. You can fake shooting or passing the puck only to
deflect it to another player. You can also fake that you have lost control of
the ball only to shoot it or redirect it to another team mate.

Hockey formations do not have to have strict players with distinct roles. They may be switched up during the game according to your team’s requirements. Remember, a team has 20 players with only eleven playing at a time. Therefore, the opportunity for switch ups due to strategy or injuries is limitless.

Ideally, these techniques may also be utilized by the defensive team to snatch the ball from the attacking team. A combination of fakes as well as changes in pace will give you
a better end result.

Thanks to Joshua Bing for this post.  Through his sports blogs Mr. Joshua Bing tries to pass on his expertise in the field of sports, field hockey in particular, by passing on the fundamentals of the game. He propagates that a good hockey bag is necessary as are other vital pieces of hockey equipment.

Bullying has been around forever, unfortunately.  More light has been shed on this issue in recent years, however, as more stories are shared by those who have felt the brunt of bullying, specifically among our youth.  Looking further, however, we see that bullying permeates not only schools and classrooms, but can be found in workplaces, offices, and board rooms among adults, as well.  Furthermore, those bullying issues do not go away when kids head out the door and onto the playing field.  It has become a growing concern among players, parents and coaches alike as they see and feel firsthand the impact it has.

Unfortunately, kids who are the victims of bullying in sports start to lose their love for their game.  The enjoyment they used to have starts to fade and they become more  insecure.  Worse yet is that when the bullying gets bad enough these kids start quitting completely.

Research shows that this is not simply a male issue either.  There is a tendency to equate sports with toughness and bravado, which can also be stereotypically seen as predominantly masculine.  However, the bullying issues arise on both boys’ and girls’ teams.  Hearing from some former female athletes reminds me that bullying is equally nasty for both genders.

Bullying can come from a variety of sources.  It can come from other players, of course, but it can also come from coaches and even parents.  It cuts a wide swath, but can have equally devastating effects on kids.
Many different types of kids are victims, as well.  Typically we would think of the player who may not be as talented or may not be as physically strong as others on the team, who may be the victim of taunts, teasing, physical abuse or  exclusion from the group.  However, when players are competing for spots on a team or they see others as a ‘rival’, things can get out of hand here, as well.

There are various forms that bullying can take.  Of course there are the physical and verbal forms, where a player can be physically intimidated, or yelled at, made fun of or teased beyond reason.  This is done either one on one or in front of other peers.  Unfortunately, in this age of instant messaging, social internet sites and so on, it is not uncommon to see sports bullying played out in cyberspace, as well.

Pointing fingers, blame, consistent criticism and yelling are all signs of potential bullying happening on the field of play.  Again, these all can come from various groups, not just other players.

I grew up in a sports environment where, as a coach, raising your voice and getting into a player’s face was a regular occurrence.  Being singled out if front of your teammates for making mistakes can be a common practice but can be hugely demoralizing and demeaning for a player.  I never felt bullied as a player by a coach; however, that environment can sometimes be fertile ground to take that next step.  Therefore, now that I am a coach (baseball), I try and take those experiences to heart as I work with my players.

I also want to be more aware of issues that might arise that can lead to, or be considered, bullying among the players.  As a parent or a coach there are various signs that we can look for when seeing if there might be a situation going one with our child or player.

If you start to find a youngster starting to lose interest in the sport that they really enjoyed, it might be time to talk with him or her to see what might be happening.  Are they more anxious and nervous as it comes closer to practice or game times (more so than the usual ‘pregame’ jitters)?  Do they express reasons, not expressed before, of why they cannot get to practice or have to miss the game?  All these can be signals that the young man or young lady might be facing more than the normal performance related anxiety issues or nervousness.

As a parent we need to be in constant communication with our kids, be their support and also empower our kids to speak up to someone they trust if they feel something is going on that is just not right.

As adults, both coaches and parents need to realize that they are the role models.  The kids are looking to us.  We set the tone.  If we model that bullying behavior, it is not going to be surprising that the behavior will be modeled by the kids on the team, as well.

In addition we need to realize that we need to let all the players and parents understand that bullying is not part of the team and will not be accepted.  Clear and consistent communication from coaches to players and from coaches to parents is key here, as well.  This includes not only clearly mapping out practice and game schedules, rules, regulations and consequences, but also communicating what you, as a coach, are trying to accomplish.  Between my administrators and I, we try and put together all of this information to our players and parents.

Understanding this issue also empowers all of us to react and intervene regardless if we are the victims of bullying or if we witness any of it going on within our sport.  Those not the direct victims but who witness bullying happening can be a force for good, too, and help produce a more positive environment for all, by intervening,

There are many issues and components to bullying and all of us can play a part in ending bullying on the playing field and making the experience as enjoyable as possible for all of our kids.

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This article is written by Dr. Wendy LeBolt, Ph.D., founder of Fit2Finish.  Fit2Finish helps young athletes make sports and fitness a healthy, lifelong pursuit.  Dr. Lebolt conducts personal and group training sessions which focus on fitness, fun and injury prevention. She also is a popular speaker and retreat leader for schools, community groups and corporate gatherings in the D.C. metro area and throughout the mid-Atlantic region.  Thanks to Dr. LeBolt for allowing us to share this article with our readers.

None of us has the perfect diet. But the demands on our athletes require that we help them make what they eat count. Consistent training and performance depend on it.

Here are some quick ways to check on how healthy your athlete’s diet is.

• Do they eat in moderation? (quantity and portion size to maintain a healthy weight)
• Do they consume a variety of foods? (3 servings of milk or dairy, 4-5 servings fruits or vegetables, 2 small servings protein rich foods daily)
• Do they eat wholesome foods? (choose natural over processed foods whenever possible)
• Do they eat at mealtimes with healthy snacks between?
• Do they eat fast food only infrequently?
• How is their energy level?
• Do they drink water rather than sugary, expensive drinks? (six 8oz glasses per day)
• Can they fight off illness or does it linger?

Here are some hints to encourage improved eating based on what I have observed is common among our athletes.

• Pay attention to the # and variety of servings.
• Eat from at least 3 of the 4 food groups at each meal.
• Choose by 2’s each day: 2 dairy, 2 glasses of milk, 2 small protein (PBJ, tuna, sand. Meat), 2 lg fruits/veggies
• Find healthy combinations: cereal + milk, sand meat + cheese or egg, stir fry combo, fruit smoothies, fruit + yogurt, dried fruit + nuts)
• Have healthy snacks handy so they’re not “starving” (dry cereal, trail mix, popcorn, bagels/pretzels, nuts, some cookies like Fig Newton’s, vanilla wafers, ginger snaps, animal crackers)

Bottom line: they’re only as good as the octane in their engines.

*Special concern especially for those of you who coach and/or parent girls: Studies show that 1/3 of college female athletes suffer from disordered eating.  (anorexia, bulimia, laxative abuse, excess-ercise, crash diets, unhealthy weight loss practices)  They may even have team competitions supporting these.

As long as there have been sports around, there have been parents who have coached their children.   As parents, we have heard the rallying cry from our sports administrators:

“Get Involved!”

Some parents partake of that message in different ways.  For example, some may put time in working the concession stand, while others take it upon themselves to spearhead the fundraising activities, while others take the plunge and coach.

Coaching your child is a delicate balance, even for those of us who believe we are the most objective folks to ever walk the good earth.  At times, fair or unfair, perception plays a larger role in this situation than in a “normal” coach – player relationship.

That relationship at times comes into play as a matter of course.  The high school varsity baseball coach who coaches their child while the child is in high school, is one example.  A number of other parents volunteer to coach, generally because their child is in that sport.  Many will follow their child to various age levels, as well.  In either circumstance, however, it still becomes a gentle dance of tact, professionalism, and objectivity.

Here are a couple of points to keep in mind if you find yourself coaching one of your children:

1) Know your sport – This seems rather obvious on the surface, but for some, I think it may not be evident.  A parent may be so excited about coaching their child that they lose sight of the fact that they do not have the proper expertise to do it.  I have seen this come into play with my daughter and nephews in various sports.  Well-meaning parents are out there ‘coaching’, when all that happens is a glorified babysitting, back slapping, snack chomping session.

If the sport is organized, there should be teaching going on at each practice and game.  If you do not have the expertise to be able to actually teach the sport, your help is best served off of the field and not on it.

Even if you feel you know the game, ask yourself if you can teach the proper, age appropriate techniques for your sport.  If you cannot honestly answer “Yes” to that question, than look for other ways you can help.

2) Be Objective – Again, here is what is perceived as an obvious point, but it becomes even more important if you are coaching your child.  Are you, as a coach, willing to do what is best for all at all times?

I’ve seen some coaches in this situation overextend themselves on either side of the coin.   Some coaches come down extremely hard on their child, to make sure everyone can see that they are not being overly persuaded by their kid.  That can take a toll on the child.  My brother-in-law coaches his kids in baseball.  I’ve seen (and heard!) many discussions between he and my sister on that very topic.  While thinking he’s showing his impartiality, from another observer he may be coming down more than he probably would normally do on his own kids.

Of course, I have been a part of the opposite scenario, as well.  The coach plays his child at enviable positions and for a greater time periods than others.  These are well meaning coaches, as well.  However, since they know their child better than anyone else, they give them the extra added benefit of the doubt, if you will, and honestly have a different perception of the child’s skill level.

In either case, I have found that the best suggestion is to ask for feedback from a key observer, or two.  Do not open it up for all, or you’re going to get bombarded with comments and go through too much ‘analysis by paralyses.  Pick out one or two key folks that you trust to give you some honest feedback on a regular basis.  This can help in creating as objective of an atmosphere, as possible.

Coaching is a tough and challenging calling.  The coach has the responsibility of teaching and guiding a number of players on a team, not only individually, but also bringing those individuals together to meet a desired goal.    That is a daunting task in and of itself, let alone adding on the focus of being the parent, as well.  It can be quite rewarding for sure, but be thorough in your focus, thinking processes and preparation before coaching your child.

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This post is a guest post from one of  track and field’s most successful High School Track coaches in the country, Latif Thomas.  Coach Thomas holds a USA Track and Field Level II Certification (Sprints, Hurdles & Relays), USTFCCCA Event Specialist (Sprints, Hurdles, Relays), and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist from the NSCA.

In college, he was an All East sprinter at the University of Connecticut. In just the past 5 years of coaching, he has developed 71 League Champions, 154 finalists at the State Class Championships and 19 All State Champions.  He has helped hundreds of coaches, parents and trainers develop top flight sprinters by simplifying the process into a model both experienced and inexperienced coaches can quickly and easily implement with outstanding results.  If you run track, are a parent of a track athlete or coach track, read on…

You can write the most beautiful annual plan or the most individualized and specific workouts the universe has ever known.
But, if your sprinters secretly hate the 400, fear the 400 and/or don’t possess the level of inner confidence proven to fuel great performances, they’ll still get beat by inferior athletes running inferior workouts who Believe they’re going to run faster.

I’ll be honest:
I don’t excel at writing workouts. I don’t need to. Or try to.
The season is less than three months (and that’s only for your very best runners) of training little kids with low training ages. They don’t need nuanced workout progressions because they’re too inexperienced to absorb or apply that much detail.

The real secret to my success is simple:
I’m good at motivating kids. At developing self confidence. At inspiring them to buy into the program, system and philosophy… hook, line and sinker.

I look at it like this:
Like you, I only have so much time in the day. It means I can’t get to everything I’d like to do.  So I focus on what’s going to get me the most ‘bang for my buck’.

For my money, that’s spending more time studying and applying the ‘Science of Mind’ than the ‘Science of Periodization’.  We all coach for different reasons. But it’s generally a safe bet that near the top of that list is: 1) Help kids, 2) Develop faster long sprinters (200/300/400 runners), 3) Larger numbers of #2.

All of which lead to more winning, which, last I checked, is a good time for everyone. So, if you want to experience more of the things I just listed, spend more time refining your system of developing self belief and less time trying to jack workout progressions from coaches whose programs have almost nothing in common with yours.

And remember this:
Since you coach one of the most disrespected and irrelevant sports your school has to offer, you have to think of yourself as a marketer. Because you’re competing against the soccer program, the basketball program, the lacrosse program and the baseball program. Against sports kids have been playing their whole lives.

If you want to grow your numbers, how are you going to compete with the Club Soccer or AAU coach who tells your athletes that year round soccer or basketball is going to get them noticed by college coaches and scouts?

Or the dad who is reliving his failed baseball career through his son?
Simple. Make their experience on the track team more fun and rewarding. We have a unique opportunity in an individual sport like track and field because each personal best is an individual experience.

The ‘team’ didn’t PR in that 400, ‘I’ PR’d in that 400.
It wasn’t the starting point guard getting the credit while I stood on the wing. I did the work and I got full credit for reaping the full results of that work. It doesn’t matter if that result is winning an All State Championship or breaking 70 for the first time, everyone can take pride in their own individual improvement.

It’s going to take time to cultivate a default ‘I can’ mindset in your athletes because right now they don’t really believe they can. They might BS you if you ask, but they won’t look you in the eye when they say it. They ‘hope’ to. They ‘want’ to.
But they don’t expect to.

If you want to find the Missing Link to sustained success, improvement and growth in your sprints program, spend the bulk of your energy this season on the Periodization of Expectation.

My process isn’t random. I develop and apply it systematically, the same as I would if teaching acceleration mechanics or an Olympic Lift.
I do and say certain things at certain times in certain ways to certain people based on their current ability to receive and apply the lesson.

It’s a game changer. And the only thing more fun than winning is seeing the look on a kid’s face when you tell them they just achieved their goal time, something they thought was unobtainable just a few months ago.

Coach Thomas’s new ‘Training High School 400m Runners’ program came out on September 17. In it, he fully breaks down his entire process for coaching long sprinters.

Find out more about his program right here.

After going through a jaw dropping two plus weeks of watching the greatest athletes in the world do their magic in the London Olympics, it begs the question – How do these guys and gals do it?  I mean, really, how much time and effort has gone into their preparation for this lifetime achievement of being an Olympian?  Surely, they must have started with they were very young, right?

Thus began many a conversation around our house when watching these extremely talented folks break records in the pool, on the track and many of the other venues at the London games.  That’s why we generally have the notion that any elite athlete, be they Olympian or pro, must have been training specifically in that sport since they could barely walk.

In this day of kids playing in travel leagues, having personal coaches and spending so much time on one sport, we have to ask ourselves if it makes sense to keep doing this or to encourage kids to playing more than one sport.

Variety is the Spice of Life.

This is true in sports, as well.  Many coaches worth their salt will point to the advantages of playing multiple sports as kids.  The variety that playing more than one sport offers a youngster keeps feeding their enthusiasm.  Some down time away from a sport helps a child look forward to the other sports they play, and consequently to the original sport, as well.

For example, having kids playing baseball from April thru August, and then transitioning into either football or soccer gives them an enthusiasm into both football and soccer.

They love baseball, but knowing that once baseball is done, they get a little ‘mental’ break from that game and really get into their fall sport.  They look forward to the transition, to the new challenges, competition and the different social dynamic they will experience, as well.

All of these points contribute to their ability to grow as athletes as well as individuals.
The quickness and aggressive attributes players gain playing football may enhance his defense and base running once baseball rolls around.  The footwork a player learns in basketball makes them a better infielder when turning a double play come next summer.

There are mental lessons learned playing multiple sports, as well.

Learning how to play against a bigger, tougher opponent in basketball provides insight into one’s one tenacity, drive and ability to think strategically within the game.  Don’t think that translates from sport to sport?  Think again.

Different levels and types of competition present the player with multiple opportunities to learn how to work through diversity.  These challenges present a unique chance to learn how to use your abilities and talents, both physically and mentally, to get as close to your best performance as possible.  It also is a huge confidence builder.  Knowing that you were able to hit against a really good pitcher in baseball now starts building your confidence as you face the challenge of blocking the other team’s best defensive lineman in football.  Your belief in yourself increases, and enhances your personal self-worth as it pertains to the sports arena, but also as a person.

Success in sports breaks the chains that can keep performance levels locked up.

It also translates into freeing oneself up personally, as well.  That is why you will see many stories of well rounded athletes playing multiple sports doing well in the classroom as well as in their professional lives.

There are more and more reports on overuse injuries by kids specializing in one sport, rather than choosing to play in a variety of athletics.  There is an entire movement out there to stop overuse injuries, because they have become so prevalent at earlier ages.  There is also evidence that playing multiple sports can lower the risk of childhood obesity.

Let’s take it one step farther.  Coaches look for competitiveness at the collegiate level.  They like the competitiveness that is developed in athletes that play multiple sports.  In addition many times they will see an athlete who has been a captain in different sports.  This points to the leadership qualities that a player has and contributes to the overall development as a person, which college coaches love.

Take Pete Carroll, head coach of the Seattle Seahawks and former coach of National Championship teams at USC.  Coach Carroll pointed to the fact that “I want guys that are so special athletically, so competitive that they can compete in more than one [sport] here at USC. It’s really important that guys are well-rounded and just have this tendency for competitiveness that they have to express somewhere.”

Other coaches in different sports echo the same comments.  That competitive desire being developed in a young athlete is what drives them to excel in and out of the sports arena.
The variety that playing in multiple sports programs during the year brings, I believe, far outweigh specializing in one sport.  Take that variety and enjoy the many benefits that it brings.  As an athlete you will gain so much both intrinsically and on the field, court or ice.

Many times families with youth who play sports have to make sacrifices in order to afford to have the youth participate.  Registration fees, Pay to Play fees, Uniform
fees, travel expenses, sports gear, sports camp, private instruction/lesson,
and the opportunity cost involved when parents have to miss work to travel to
games are just some of the what seems to be never ending expense associated
with competing.

Are the expenses worth it?  Of course they are.  If you didn’t
think so, why would you keep your kids in sports at all?  The health benefits of sports participation go beyond the physical cardio and strength benefits.  Children who play sports often develop healthy social skills and are less likely to develop destructive behaviors, like smoking and drinking.  Add to these benefits the many lessons your child will learn from participating, such as teamwork and how to lose gracefully and participation is a must.

So, how can families make sports participation more affordable?  There are lots of ways that parents can save money on the many expenses that playing incurs.

Take advantage of young entrepreneurs.

Local high school and college students may be willing to work with your child one on one in exchange for a letter of recommendation or simply because they need a reference or experience to put on their resume.  Even if they charge a small fee, it will save
you money that you may have had to otherwise spend on a private instructor.

Volunteer in trade.

If you want to avoid paying participation fees you can approach the coach or league director about possibly lowering or even waiving the fees in exchange for a commitment from you to volunteer a certain number of hours.  This is especially handy for
families who have multiple children playing.  The league or club may be willing to help you out, and you would probably be willing to help out anyway so why not ask?  Not for profit leagues depend on volunteers to run everything from registration to refereeing so having someone willing to commit time gives them someone they know they can rely on.  It’s a win-win.

Get a scholarship to camp.

Most sports camps offer scholarships that cover some or all of the expense of the camp for applicants who meet the guidelines.  Don’t let that last part stop you from
applying.  When scholarships are available, it means that the camp has most likely gotten a grant to pay for players who can’t pay on their own.  Even if you don’t meet the income guidelines you could still score one of these scholarships if few people apply.  The
reason is that when an organization receives a grant, they are held accountable
for spending it the way that it was meant to be spent.  They can’t just use it for other expenses, they have to give scholarships!  So apply, even if you don’t think you can get it, you just might!

Save on sports equipment.

There are lots of ways to save on sports gear.  You can participate in a rental program, buy
used gear (though not recommended for safety gear), and organize (or find) a
sports equipment swap meet.  When purchasing new, be sure to check prices online even if you plan to purchase in-store so that you have an idea of where to go and how low you should be able to get the products for.

Plan a team fundraiser.

There are lots of creative ways that your child’s team can raise money so they don’t have to charge you for every little thing.  Fundraisers typically generate a “ugh”
feeling from families because it would be cheaper to give the team $10 than it
is to purchase some dumb trinket for $20, of which the team gets $10 and some
company gets the rest.  Avoid this by planning events and activities that will get the community involved in supporting your team. Plan a poker night, partner with an area business, and/or solicit sponsorships.  The goal here is to get money for your team from somewhere other than the families of the players.

Written by Mindy Tan,
Marketing Manager at Epic Sports, an online retailer specializing in sports
gear savings of up to 90%.

1. Sports are enjoyable…….
2. Sports are fun……
3. Sports are exciting……

All positive sentiments, aren’t they?  Well, in theory, that is what they should be.  We have all heard how positive, in so many different regards, that sport can and should be in a participant’s life.  Individuals start playing youth sports as early as four years old and continue playing well into their social security years.  (We have a few of those guys playing in our adult rec hockey league!)

Photo by Adam Klepsteen

Sports are supposed to be all of those things.  After all, it is a GAME that is played, right?  You spend time with friends, make new ones, have a snack or two and have stories to tell for the rest of your life.  We especially like to think these sentiments are true when kids are playing.

Unfortunately, some kids are not enjoying their sports experiences as much as we think, or hope.

A survey done by i9 Sports suggests that are some issues that we need to be aware of when it comes to kids enjoying their athletic experiences.

Of 300 children surveyed (8 – 14 years old):

• 84 percent said that they wish they had more fun playing sports.
• 84 percent also said that they wanted to quit at one time because of a variety of reasons; lack of enjoyment, conflicts with teammates, too many practices.
• Close to one third said that they would rather not have their parents watch their games.

There is such a negative connotation with parents and their involvement in their kids’ sports that some youth sports leagues have made rules, or at least highly suggest that the parents coming to games not do any cheering at all.  Some feel that silencing parents will ease the pressure some of their comments put on the kids.

• The study also showed that 42 percent of kids would rather play video games than play sports.
• (The following are more than startling numbers to me); 20 percent said that they have seen a physical fight between players,
• 59 percent had seen a verbal fight between players and,
• 36 percent had seen a verbal fight between parents.

Some tough numbers to swallow, for sure and can help explain why some kids do not enjoy their sports experience as they should.

I believe kids can enjoy being involved in a youth soccer, youth football, youth baseball, youth hockey, etc. league, but there needs to be a complete commitment from the entire sports community.  So, what are some things that can contribute to a positive youth sports experience?  First, the negativity needs to be put to a halt.  That comes from both parents and coaches.

As parents, we just need to think a little bit before we say what we want to say to our kids. You are toughest on your own and it is hard not to be right to the point when talking to your son or daughter about their sports experience.

After they have struck out three times with the bases loaded, your own frustration might come out when talking to that player after the game.  “You left a ton of guys on base tonight” might add more fuel to an already smoldering fire of frustration and disappointment that your child is already feeling.  How about commenting on their ‘at bats’, instead?  Were they swinging and missing?  If so, perhaps comment on the fact that they were up there trying to get a hit and maybe just faced a tough pitcher.  Even better, ask open ended questions.  Have the child tell you how they felt about their performance.  Try and be as matter of fact as possible when asking, too.  Your child comprehends what a poor performance is and what is not.  If he or she offers up some part of their game that is lacking, offer to try and help in some way.  “Boy, that guy was throwing so fast tonight.  I just couldn’t get my bat around fast enough.”  Maybe, jump in with an offer to throw batting practice, or take him or her to a local batting cage and turn up the speed to get them used to faster pitches.

I’m a parent and a coach.  I get caught up in some of this, as well.  You feel like your child, or a player that you are coaching, can do better.  In the heat of the moment out comes “What kind of a play was that?”, rather than being calm and thinking of a ‘teaching’ moment you can bring to that situation.  That might be after the inning is over, the game is over or the next practice.

My daughter struggled on the community swim team when she swam competitively for a few years.  She started swimming late, by competitive standards, and was not a natural swimmer.  My goal was to think before I spoke and find some ways to be positive, encouraging and also to try and help her want to get better.  It was a lot of fun for her.  She gained some great friends and had a good sports experience.  It wasn’t all me, either.  She had coaches who worked with her and other parents who were constant streams of support for her, as well. 

She has gained an interest in tennis now, at age 13, in hopes of trying to play competitively in the next couple of years.  I love my daughter dearly but she’s not the most gifted athlete.  After squirming in my chair and rubbing my forehead a number of times as I saw her swing and miss at multiple balls tossed to her in drills, I took a deep breath and a moment before talking to her about her first session.  That especially hit home as I saw her walking off of the court with a big smile on her face. 

Instead of hammering her on how timid she seemed or on how she wasn’t focusing on the ball hitting the racket (after the fifth mis-hit in a row), I took another approach.  After seeing that smile, I realized she had fun, so I asked her if she indeed enjoyed herself.  When she emphatically said “Yes!” I threw in a couple of open ended questions.  I asked her first what she thought were her strengths and then what she thought she needed to work on for the next session.  This gave her an opportunity to express herself objectively and reinforcing to herself the good and the challenging aspects of her game.

I am convinced that you can be a positive influence on your kids and a sense of encouragement without quashing their ability to improve and compete.  I do not think that those two concepts are mutually exclusive.  However, I believe that those harsh streaks can be hard to overcome, but as anything, if it is something you work on consistently that mindset can be changed for the better.

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……What kind of play was that?

……Johnny would’ve made that basket if HE was playing….

…….Hey Ref!!  That was a terrible call!!……

Awww, come on….you’ve heard these when attending youth sports games.  Sadly, YOU may have been the one uttering some of these comments….

In the previous article I talked about some of the qualities and attributes that a youth sports coach should aspire to in their day-to-day coaching.  In this article I want to talk a little bit about what we would expect of parents on a daily basis, as well.  All too often we hear not only of coaches who are way too intensified for the level of coaching they are doing, but also we inevitably hear of youth sports parents who are out of control.  For true youth athletic development, we would like a nice balance of positive behavior on both the coaching and youth sports parenting side.

Developing the youth athlete is much more than simply getting the kids the proper instruction they need.  It is more than providing them the resources they require to help get their physical talents reaching out to their full potential.

We also need to provide the necessary tools emotionally for kids to not only succeed in youth sports, but also to enjoy them.  They work hand-in-hand.  The more you enjoy something the more you are apt to do it and try and get better at it, right?

First and foremost, when talking about ways we as parents can best be supportive of our kids in sports, I think of the Beatles tune “Let it Be.”  Why?  Because that is what we need to do for our youth sports coaches – Let Them Be.

Let them be coaches and do what they are capable of doing.  Hovering over coaches at practice and games, consistently tossing our comments in whenever he or she turns around is akin to having someone constantly poke you in the back.  It’s annoying, intrusive and rude.  Stop and let them do the coaching the way they know how.  Back off some.  That doesn’t mean not paying attention and not making coaches accountable.  It seemly means that they are doing the coaching, not you.  Let them do it.

I see some parents pacing the sidelines as if they were coaching the Super Bowl, cringing with every move the coach would make, and perhaps even throwing in a couple of choice comments.

I coached an all-star baseball team one season.  I had a habit of hanging out in the on-deck circle, which was outside of the dugout but almost part of the dugout area, while the game was going on in front of me.  I was ‘exposed’, if you will, to the crowd.

One player’s dad was in the crowd letting me know that his son (when he wasn’t playing) should be in the game.  His son was a center fielder.  If a play was in the direction of where his son would be playing and wasn’t made by the player we had out there at the time, I would hear it.  The boy’s parent was quick to let me and everyone else know that his son would have had that ball if he was in the game.  That kind of parent behavior is distracting, and makes the child uncomfortable as well as probably all of the other folks in the stands.

Let the coach do the coaching….

As a parent, what you can do, and what I have encouraged parents to do when I coach, is to work with the child on his or her own.  I will use baseball as an example.

• Play catch with the child.
• Hit them some grounders or fly balls to practice their fielding.
• Take them to the batting cages to work more on their hitting.
• Get them more practice time outside of the regular practice.

Secondly, I would encourage all parents to not bring a stop watch, or pen and paper to a game.

What am I talking about here?  I have seen too many of us (yes, even though I’ve coached, I’m a parent, as well) keep detailed accounts of how much playing time our child is getting as compared to other kids.  Holy smokes, a couple of times I thought that I would hire a couple of them to keep track of my financial stuff seeing how detailed they were.  I have seen some of my family members do the same.

Not only will you drive yourself nuts but you are going to inevitably say something after the game in the presence of your child.  Your child probably has not paid attention as closely as you have and would not normally be aware of it.  Now you have, so you have probably thrown this bit of emotional baggage onto him or her.

Let them play.  Don’t worry about the playing time.  You will enjoy watching the game a lot more and your young sports athlete will have one less thing they have to worry about when playing.  Now, if you feel that playing time is so obviously egregiously out of whack, then it might be time to simply set up a time to talk with coach one on one.

Umpires, referees, line judges, you name it, are targets of parental frustration, as well.  As with the coaches, leave the reffing to the referee.  Sure, they’re going to make a bad call, maybe even at a critical part of the game.

They are human.  Get over it.  Your child needs to be able to see that sometimes life doesn’t play ‘fair’ and you get a bad break.

They need to be able to see how they can react to that in a positive manner.  Seeing you go off on an umpire because of a bad call sets a lousy example.  It also sets up a convenient crutch.  That can sometimes be an excuse used as to why a team lost a game.  I have heard that explanation more times that I care to, unfortunately.  “We would have won, but the ref was so bad…blah…blah…blah.”  It’s a nice scapegoat to have, and certainly an unhealthy practice.

Enjoy your child participating in youth sports activities by being as supportive and encouraging as you can, both at practice and games, as well when at home.

Leave the coaching and refereeing to the appropriate folks and your child will benefit and so will you, seeing that your future Hall-of-Famer is enjoying the experience.

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