How to Coach Youth Sports

We are a sports-oriented society and it's only natural that children will get interested in the same sports their parents love to watch. Whether it's baseball, football, basketball, soccer, swimming, ice hockey or any other, many kids enjoy organized sports. A coach has a huge responsibility to make sure that this experience is a positive one. Introducing young athletes to the concept of winning at all costs, getting in their face after mistakes or allowing such behavior from well-meaning but ignorant parents can ruin the experience.

Difficulty:

 

Moderate

Instructions

1. • 1
     Make this a positive, friendly experience from the start. At your first practice, introduce yourself and your co-coaches. Then go around the team and have everybody tell who they are, say what their favorite team is and also their favorite food. This is a quick way to break the tension and for everybody to learn a little something about each other. Talk about your goals for the team. When dealing with players age 10 and under, the word "winning" should never leave your mouth. Say something like, "I want you to all enjoy playing baseball this season and I want you to be a little bit better at the end of the year than you are now."
   • 2
     Spell out the ground rules for the players and their parents. Many youth leagues have participants and their parents sign "contracts" that pledge good sportsmanship, good citizenship and reasonable behavior. For example, kids are allowed to always cheer on their own teammates but are never allowed to say anything negative about their opponents. Parents can encourage children but they are not to argue publicly with coaches or referees or umpires. Many youth coaches are happy to discuss the situation in private with parents but arguing about something like playing time or position in the batting order is awful when done in public.
   • 3
     Have a purpose to every practice and keep it organized. Sharing the daily practice plan makes the young players feel better because they know what they are going to work on. Try to have at least two other volunteer coaches and perhaps a parent volunteer to assist you in your drills. While you hit grounders to the young players, another coach can work on the proper way to catch the grounder and then throw the ball to first. Still another coach can work with the first baseman on the proper way to catch the throw.
   • 4
     Accentuate the positive from each of your players. Remember, youth sports is for the kids and not for the coach's ego. It's as simple as thinking what you might want to hear if you had been in that situation when you were a kid. A youngster may have missed the ball on seven out of eight swings, but the swing was level and he kept his eyes on the ball. Encourage him by telling him you recognized what he did right.
   • 5
     Hold brief team meetings after each practice or game and talk about what went well and what did not. If players struggled in certain areas, you can point out the team weaknesses and say that the team will work on those areas in future practices. If a player excelled, point that out for everyone to hear so that youngster can feel a bit more pride in her accomplishment. Never single anyone out for a mistake at that age. The reason you are there is to build a foundation of a lifetime of enjoyment in sports and this is done through practice, repetition and enjoyment.

     
     

     Tips & Warnings

     • It's great to volunteer your time, effort and skills to help kids enjoy sports. But remember that this is about the kids and their development, not your ego.
     • Go to clinics and read as much as possible about your sport to help you teach the kids how to improve and develop.
     • Never allow any conflicts with parents or children to fester. This is especially true of parents who may be upset their child hit last in the lineup two games in a row. Make sure to nip any ego problems in the bud immediately.

     
     

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