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Redefining "Winner"
In professional sports (which is entertainment), there is only one
goal—to have the most points at the end of a contest. However, in
youth sports (which is education), there is a second goal: to
produce young people who will be winners in life.
To help our children get the most out of competitive
sports, we need to redefine what it means to be a "winner." Here’s
what winners do. They
• Make maximum effort.
• Continue to learn and improve.
• Refuse to let mistakes (or fear of making mistakes) stop them.
This is called a Mastery
Orientation.
PCA says that the
Tree of Mastery is an ELM Tree where ELM stands for
Effort, Learning, and Mistakes.
If our athletes keep these things in mind, they will
develop habits to serve them well throughout their lives.
There is an added benefit. Athletes who are coached with a
Mastery Orientation tend to have reduced anxiety and increased
self-confidence. And when athletes feel less anxiety, they are more
likely to have fun playing their sport and to do better!
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Here’s how Coaches can redefine "Winner":
1) Tell your child about the ELM Tree of Mastery (see the
section on "Actual Coaching Skills").
2) Let your child know you appreciate it when he or she tries hard
even if unsuccessful.
3) Ask rather than tell. Try to get your child to talk about his/her
play rather than telling him/her what you think about it. Ask
open-ended questions to get him/her to talk (e.g., "What was the
best part of the game for you?")
4) Recognize that Mastery is hard work. Let the coaches criticize
your child's play. Tell your child you are proud of him or her
regardless of the outcome of the game.
"POSITIVE COACHING TECHNIQUES"
is FREE with every "How To Coach
(Any Sport) Better" Basic Series!!!
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To become an All-Star Player, you need to know
the detailed skills of how to play a sport ...
here's why!
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Important - This page contains the skills, drills and coaching
know-how to maximize a player's true potential!
