How To Find A Good
Sports Coach For Your Child
WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR
IN A GOOD COACH?
Some coaches have a difficult time handling the youth sport atmosphere,
and some may underestimate their importance to their players.
The No. 1 reason why kids come back to the same sport is positive coaching
from both parents and coaches. Coaches must grasp the idea that their role
is important. Talk to your childs coaches and define what a successful coach
means to you, it isn't determined by their win-loss record. The coach has
to keep the kids involved.
4 THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN A GOOD
COACH
There are four needs a coach must establish for a child to keep him
or her returning to youth sports.
-
A sense of belonging.
The coach can add to that sense of belonging by making
the child feel like part of the team. This point leads to the second
need.
-
To feel worthwhile.
If the coach relates to the kid as a person and as
a member of the team, it will add to the value of youth sports.
-
A sense of dignity.
The coach's job is to treat the children with respect,
and let them know they will be treated with respect simply for coming out
and playing.
-
A sense of control. The
coach lets the children know they are in control of their own destiny, and
lets them work their way into a role on the team.
HOW TO DEAL WITH UNRULY
PARENTS
The other job of the coach is to control the parents to prevent a situation
from getting out of hand. The first step is to define unruly behavior.
If you're going to deal with unruly parents, you've got to have it all
spelled out before the season begins. A preseason meeting with the parents
can help prevent any unwanted situation. Coaches need to tell parents that
offensive language, and the berating of players, coaches and officials are
unacceptable. The coach also must provide consequences for any action considered
inappropriate.
If there is a situation, the first step is to remain calm, otherwise
you can feed the fire.
When a situation occurs, the coach has to have some way of dealing with
it. One way is to have other parents who participated in the preseason meeting
talk to the offending parent to try to calm him or her down. After the event
occurs, the coach must become the teacher, so the parent understands what
he or she did wrong and why it was considered unacceptable. The coach has
to look for the positives in every situation.
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