Archive for “Coaching Young Athletes” Category

Softball Coaching Practices-Mistakes to Avoid

Posted on: December 10th, 2024 by Sara Beth No Comments

Softball is more than a game; it’s a classroom, a stage, and a proving ground for athletes to grow, not just in skill but in character, resilience, and mental strength. Yet, too often, softball coaching practices miss the mark, focusing narrowly on skills or adopting approaches that hinder more than help.

If we truly want to see our athletes thrive—on the field and in life—we must take a closer look at the mistakes we’re making and how to correct them.

Before we venture there, I want to personally say thank you for opening this article. The vast majority of coaches believe they aren’t making mistakes, or perhaps they ‘know it all’.

In my 20+ years of coaching athletes and over 35 years of being a female athlete, your willingness to improve is a differentiator in the industry of coaching softball.

I am not excluded from these mis-steps. I’ve made my fair share.

Let’s dig our cleats in and change the game, together.

Mistake #1: Teaching Only Softball Skills and Measuring Athletes Solely on Softball Skill

Softball coaching is not just about hitting, throwing, and catching. This may be obvious and many may already know this, yet, many softball coaches emphasize skill mastery while ignoring equally critical dimensions like mental strength, physical endurance, and game intelligence.

Although coaches may articulate the importance of training the whole athlete, the actions are often not aligned.

When we measure athletes on skills alone, we reduce their worth to stats and mechanics, overlooking the mental grit and physical readiness that drive those skills. Mental strength empowers players to stay calm under pressure. Physical conditioning ensures they can perform consistently through the grind of a season. Game intelligence—knowing when to bunt, how to position themselves defensively, or how to adjust in the batter’s box—makes the difference between good and great.

The Shift: Incorporate holistic assessments.

Personally, I love making the subjective, OBJECTIVE. But how do we assess attributes, talents and qualities we want to enhance on the diamond? Using a simple number scale ( I prefer 1-7) or +,+/- , – system are two examples. I’ve also used a 5-star scale for younger athletes.

You want to do your best to be specific in what your assessing. For example- many of my assessments assess an athletes consistency in certain behaviors and habits I’m looking to reinforce as a coach. When creating your own holistic assessments, you want to think about ‘measuring what matters’. Often we assess the most random things that don’t get reinforced and therefor don’t stand a chance at improving. So be selective in what you choose.

A few examples to get you started:

Nutrition: I fuel my body at least 3 times a day and each meal includes protein, veggies and grains

Mental Strength: I bounce back quickly and swiftly after an error on the field

Mental Strength: I can shift my mind from a critical state to a creative state quickly

Hydration: I consume 64oz of water 7 days per week

Sleep: I get 7 or more hours of sleep each night

Fitness assessments can include, Speed Assessments (Home to First Time, Home to Home times, T-Drill Times, etc), Strength Assessments (Simple 1 Minute Push-up Assessment, Broad Jump Distance, Plank Hold Times, etc).

If you value creating STUDENT athletes, then you will likely assess their academics in some way, for example: I complete my school work on time and to the best of my ability.

The list goes on. Feel free to comment some of the holistic ways you assess your athletes! I’d love to hear.

Finally, when we expand our definition of success, we open the door for athletes to thrive in ways that last long after the last inning. Allow them to self-assess. I recommend re-assessing every 30-90 days. This allows athletes (and you) to see trends.

Mistake #2: Post-Error Behavior from Softball Coaches

We’ve all said it: “Shake it off!” or “have a short-term memory.” But let’s be honest—if our athletes could instantly move on from their errors, they would. These phrases, while well-meaning, dismiss the complexity of recovering from a mistake.

There is an opportunity to improve our craft of softball coaching.

Errors in softball—and life—trigger emotional responses: frustration, embarrassment, or even shame. But these aren’t just feelings that come and go; they spark a physiological response that can deeply impact an athlete’s performance if left unaddressed.

When an athlete makes an error, their brain often interprets it as a threat, activating the fight-or-flight response. This triggers the release of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. The heart rate increases, breathing becomes shallow, and muscles tense up—all of which are designed to help us react quickly in true danger. But on the softball field, these responses often work against the athlete.

The flood of stress hormones can cause:

Mental fog: Making it harder for athletes to think clearly, stay focused, or make quick decisions.
Muscle tension: Leading to mechanical errors in movement, slower reaction times, or even fatigue over time.
Emotional overload: Heightening feelings of frustration or shame, which can spiral into negative self-talk and reduced confidence.

Without tools to manage this physiological cascade, athletes may get stuck in a cycle where their body and mind are working against them, even as they’re trying their hardest to bounce back.

I go into 12 different hacks in my book Mental Strength for the Competitive Softball Athlete

The Shift: Teaching Emotional and Physiological Recovery

To truly help athletes recover from errors, we must address both the emotional and physiological responses. It’s not enough to tell them to “move on”—we need to teach them how.

Breathing Techniques: Simple strategies like diaphragmatic breathing can interrupt the stress response. Encourage athletes to take slow, deep breaths—inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for six. This activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to calm the mind and relax the body.
Body Awareness: Teach athletes to release tension in their shoulders, jaw, or hands—common areas where stress accumulates. A quick shake-out or mindful stretch can reset the body.
Reframing the Error: Help athletes shift their perspective by asking reflective, constructive questions: “What can you control in the next play?” or “What did this teach you?” This moves them from a critical mindset to a creative one, allowing growth instead of rumination. I call this “return on error”.

I expand on these and give you 9 More Mental Strength Hacks in my Book Mental Strength for the Competitive Softball Athlete.

When we equip athletes with tools to regulate their emotions and physiological reactions, we help them stay in the game—mentally and physically. The more they practice these recovery strategies, the more they’ll build resilience, not just for softball but for life’s inevitable challenges.

As your athletes adapt you will need to as well. The old ‘cues’ will no longer carry weight (well, they likely don’t right now either). Be willing to change what you are saying and cueing- in order to be more effective as a coach.

Mistake #3: Neglecting Rest and Recovery

In competitive softball coaching, the grind is often glorified: more reps, more games, more work. But the relentless pace comes at a cost—burnout, injury, and declining performance.

Science tells us that rest is not laziness; it’s a performance enhancer. Rest allows muscles to repair, the mind to process, and the body to reset. Active rest—low-intensity activities like yoga, swimming, fun non-softball games, or light throwing—keeps athletes engaged while facilitating recovery.

I am going to keep this one short, as I could do a whole separate blog on this one. Let me know in the comments if you’d like that!

The Shift: Make recovery a priority in your program. Schedule rest days, integrate active recovery, and educate athletes on the importance of sleep, hydration, and nutrition. When athletes feel refreshed, their focus sharpens, their energy soars, and their love for the game deepens.

Mistake #4: De-Prioritizing Mind and Body Strengthening

Softball athletes spend hours honing their craft, but how much time is devoted to strengthening their bodies to prevent injuries—or their minds to handle the game’s pressures? Neglecting these areas leaves athletes vulnerable, both physically and mentally. I see this often in the “in-season”.

As a coach, you wear a LOT of hats, I get it, I’ve been there.

When you prioritize everything, you prioritize nothing. But the reality is, wearing all the hats is often tied to ego (just being honest), every coach has the ability to OUTSOURCE parts of the game to credible, skilled resources. Yes, it may take work to find the right fit for your softball coaching roster, but it’s possible.

If you are resistant to collaboration, you are single-handedly limiting your athletes.

If you specialize in the game of competitive softball, other people you’ll want on your coaching ‘team’ may be qualified Strength & Conditioning Coaches, Mental Strength Coaches, Nutrition Coaches, Sport Psychologist, etc. I encourage you to stack your roster with resources- the International Youth Conditioning Association is obviously one of the best educational resources to have in your corner. (YES, I’m biased)

There are some structures you can add to your program that can also help keep the Mental Game and the Physical Game a priority, I’ll share two below:

Incorporate Injury prevention daily—like shoulder stability drills, hip-strengthening routines, and dynamic warm-ups that prepare the body for game-day demands can be a structure you create and reinforce.
Mental Agility Practice requires daily practice too—mental rehearsal, reflection, or a daily coaching question can build resilience and focus as you begin and end a practice.

The Shift: Treat mental and physical preparation as essential components of every training session. Integrate routine exercises and experiences that fortify both the body and mind. When female athletes feel strong and centered, they perform with confidence and minimize the risk of setbacks.

Thriving on the Dirt Diamond

The dirt diamond is where lessons are learned, confidence is built, and dreams take shape. As softball coaches, we have the privilege—and responsibility—to nurture athletes in a way that helps them thrive in softball and beyond.

For a deeper dive into fostering mental strength, building resilience, and creating a competitive edge for your athletes, check out my book Mental Strength for the Competitive Softball Athlete. This book is written for the athlete.

It’s packed with actionable strategies to eliminate self-doubt, maintain focus, and perform under pressure. Together, let’s equip our athletes to shine—on the diamond and in life.

Julie Hatfield-Still

Brand Executive for the IYCA.

Julie is an Entrepreneur, CEO, Coach and Author. She is the President & Founder of the Non-Profit Beyond The Game Alliance. In addition to her work as a business consultant and coach of coaches, leaders and entrepreneurs. Julie is a Speed Development Specialist and Inner-Game Coach in the college, high school and youth levels.

Follow Julie on Facebook , Linkedin or Instagram

The Power of Questions in Youth Sports

Posted on: October 6th, 2024 by Sara Beth No Comments

In youth sports, particularly with athletes under the age of 12, the language and questions we use as parents, coaches, and mentors hold the potential to shape not only their performance but their long-term relationship with the game. The power of questions and language in youth sports is undeniable.

When we focus on the right language, we foster growth, confidence, and an intrinsic love for improvement. Conversely, asking the wrong questions can diminish their enjoyment and lead to disengagement from sports altogether.

The Impact of Great Questions on Human Behavior

Research on human behavior, especially in developmental psychology, shows that how we frame questions for children impacts how they see themselves and their abilities. Carol Dweck’s groundbreaking work on “growth mindset” illustrates this perfectly.

When children are praised for effort and process rather than results, they become more resilient, curious, and motivated to improve. Great questions can guide them to think about their own progress, strengths, and areas of improvement, fostering a sense of ownership over their growth.

At a young age, athletes are building foundational skills—not just in their sport, but in how they approach challenges, manage emotions, and develop self-worth. If we encourage reflection and praise effort rather than outcomes, we set them up for lifelong success, both in and out of sports.

Why the Questions We Ask Matter

The questions we ask shape a child’s experience of sport and their perception of themselves as athletes. When we focus on a result like “Did you win?” we unintentionally send the message that the score is the only thing that matters. However, by asking questions that center around the child’s effort, improvement, and enjoyment, we shift the focus to their personal development.

Don’t Ask:

“Did you win?”
“How many points did you score?”
“Why didn’t you play better?”

Do Ask:

“How did you do?”
“Is there an area you are really proud of today?”
“What’s one thing you’d like to improve before your next game?”
“What can we celebrate about how you showed up today?”

These thoughtful, open-ended questions encourage athletes to reflect on their own experiences. When children consider their actions, they build self-awareness and begin to take responsibility for their growth. Over time, this leads to intrinsic motivation—the desire to improve for their own satisfaction, not for external rewards or validation.

Intrinsic Motivation: The Key to Long-Term Success

The ultimate goal in youth sports should not be about creating the next pro athlete, but rather fostering a love for the game and the many life skills that come along with it: resilience, teamwork, problem-solving, and discipline.

Intrinsic motivation, or the internal desire to improve, is a powerful driver of success, not just in sports but in every aspect of life.

When we ask kids about their personal experience and effort, they feel seen for who they are, not just their performance.

Instead of feeling “less than” when they lose a game, they are able to celebrate their small victories, like trying their best, improving a particular skill, or supporting a teammate. This sense of pride and accomplishment fuels them to continue growing, regardless of the outcome of a game.

Shifting the Focus: From Winning to Development

Focusing only on wins and losses can backfire.

Research shows that when children are primarily motivated by external rewards (like winning), they are more likely to give up when they encounter challenges or setbacks.

If their identity as an athlete is tied to winning, any loss becomes a blow to their self-esteem. This can lead to burnout, anxiety, and a loss of enjoyment for the game. Studies in sports psychology have shown that athletes who feel constant pressure to win are more likely to experience early burnout, leading to disengagement from the sport altogether.

On the other hand, athletes who are encouraged to focus on their personal journey, their strengths, and areas of improvement tend to have a stronger mental game. They are more resilient, more likely to stick with the sport through hard times, and most importantly, they enjoy the process.

Your questions MATTER more than you think! Choose them wisely.

The Art of Parenting: Becoming a Great Coach

Parents of young athletes play a critical role in shaping their child’s mindset. The art of parenting an athlete is akin to being a great coach—both roles require guiding children through challenges while fostering a love for the process.

It’s about encouraging self-reflection, celebrating effort, and showing them that their worth is not tied to a win or loss.

Being a catalyst for change means asking the right questions at the right time, reframing failures as learning opportunities, and consistently reinforcing the idea that growth and development are the true measures of success.

One of the most important roles as a parent of an athletes is to understand the language and questions that can encourage athletes to strive for more. Unfortunately much of the language and questions being used, do the exact opposite.

Creating a Positive Sports Experience

In youth sports, the questions we ask and the language we use can either inspire athletes or leave them feeling discouraged.

By asking thoughtful, open-ended questions that emphasize effort, self-reflection, and improvement, we give young athletes the tools they need to develop intrinsic motivation, resilience, and a lifelong love for the game. We shift the focus from a single outcome—winning or losing—to the bigger picture: the development of a strong, confident, and motivated individual.

Julie Hatfield-Still

Brand Executive for the IYCA.

Follow Julie on Facebook , Linkedin or Instagram

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Here are the citations for the resources mentioned in the blog:

Carol Dweck’s Growth Mindset: Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York: Random House.

Intrinsic Motivation in Sports: Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior. New York: Springer.

Sports Psychology and Burnout: Gould, D., & Whitley, M. A. (2009). Sources and Consequences of Sport Burnout Among Young Athletes: Implications for Sport Psychology Practice. Journal of Sports Psychology, 23(1), 5-12.

Coach-It’s the Little Things that Matter

Posted on: September 8th, 2024 by Sara Beth No Comments

Coach, we all know that, it’s the little things that matter, and that little things, eventually add up to big accomplishes, successes and wins.

Many years ago, I was told that I had a “Knack” for coaching the younger athletes. Not 100% certain what was meant by that, I looked up the definition.

A skill or an ability to do something easily and well.

Do you have a knack for coaching?

If you do, you likely value the ‘little things’. Using your senses as a compass to direct you on how to support, encourage and coach each individual athlete. We were given ‘our senses’ for a reason. Using all of them are important in coaching and building rapport, and I wanted to share my top 10 Trust-Building Tips.

Top 10 “Little Things” That Matter

Taking an Interest:

Take an interest in their day and ask them how their day went. I ask them this question while they’re warming up. It sets the tone and creates a great atmosphere for the workout ahead.

Being Attentive:

Be attentive to them when they speak. Make eye contact. Focus your eyeballs on them. This will show your interest in them is sincere and you are totally engaged to see them succeed.

Tuning in to Body Language:

Understand body language. Assess their gait, position of their head and shoulders when they walk in for a training day. The ability to dissect body language will provide valuable information on how to plan a training session. Getting to know each of your athletes’ body language sends a message that you’re tuned in and they may want you to notice if they’re dealing with some difficulty. Body language is a billboard that you must be able read. They may be coming to training just to talk to you.

Being Adaptable:

Be adaptable on the fly. You may have to change their work out to a lower or to a higher intensity day based on their energy level. Dragging feet tells you it will be a low CNS day. On the contrary light feet will tell you full speed ahead with your training day game plan.

Being Detailed Oriented:

Correct the little things. This shows them you’re paying attention to them. They’ll remember this and they will test you. It’s not if, but when they get sloppy with mechanics you need to address this immediately showing you’re totally all-in on their athletic development. You need to pass their test, be on the ready and get that A plus. This also sends a direct message you demand a high level of commitment. They will respect and honor this.

Explaining “the how” & “the why”:

Explain the how and the why you make them perform the lateral gait cycle correctly. This goes for all movement exercises. Educating them will show you care about their performance. Tell them you want to see a transfer of training to their competitive court or field from your gym. This shows you want them to excel and you will get buy-in from the athlete to believe in your training methods.

Leading with Energy:

Have passion in your voice. The tone of your voice will sell you or bankrupt you. A monotone voice shows disinterest and mediocrity within your program. A passionate voice tells your client you’re proud of their progress and reflects a steadfast commitment to them.

Giving them a Say:

Let them take some ownership. I will often let them decide what percentage of their one rep max they want to do during a heavy day. They want to display confidence in determining their outcome for the day.

Being Positive, Period.

Be positive. Be an energy giver. They will look forward to your training sessions knowing that you will change their day for the better. Positivity breeds excellence and self motivation to get better.

Having Fun:

You have to add FUN during the grind. It can be a dad joke, it could be talking about something as silly as landsharks or daring them to put barbecue sauce on their ice cream! Be sure to add an element of FUN.

Coach, it’s the little things that matter. You may have others to add to this list, feel free to add them in the comments of this blog!

Author: Doug Heslip

Doug Heslip is the owner of Heslip Elite Sports Performance Training in Negaunee, MI and the creator of Seek & Destroy – Elite Running Back Drills a video product for football coaches. He works with young athletes in a variety of sports and teaches football coaches how to incorporate speed & agility training into their sessions.

For more information on developing athletes, the IYCA Certified Athletic Development Specialist is the gold-standard certification for anyone working with athletes 6-18 years old.

Use Code HESLIP15 at checkout to receive 15% all of the IYCA resources.

The course materials were created by some of the most experienced and knowledgeable professionals in the industry, and the content is indisputably the most comprehensive of any certification related to athletic development. Learn more about the CADS certification here:

Education Is Energizing

Posted on: August 18th, 2024 by Sara Beth No Comments

Education is Energizing. Do you believe it?

In this blog, Coach Doug Heslip shares a bit of his story in regards to how being a student of his own craft has impacted his journey.

I started out as a football and a basketball coach.

I knew the X’s and O’s of each game. In my quest for knowledge, I started to take an interest in weightlifting and was curious about how to develop speed. The problem was that I had no idea where to begin my learning journey. There are so many options out there.

A friend suggested that I start with the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and so I did.

I took a number of the resources and certifications, but I felt there was still something more out there. I didn’t feel that my body of knowledge was complete. I still had many questions, especially in regards to coaching athletes.

I wanted to know more.

As luck would have it I received an email, from IYCA CEO, Jim Kielbaso offering a speed training program. I read the email and thought immediately this is exactly what I needed. I ordered his video and I was hooked. I took all of the courses.

Following that, I took several courses that resulted in many certifications through the IYCA.

The information I obtained provided me with the confidence I needed as a trainer to speak to parents and athletes in an educated way.

I was able to articulate the knowledge I had gained in such a way that a student athlete could learn and understand what needed to be conveyed.

I’ve heard people say, “Certification(s) don’t matter.” I say they do!

The courses offered through the IYCA are skillfully laid out. They explain, in depth, the how and the why certain drills are used. I have all my certificates hanging on the wall of my gym as a gallery of knowledge.

They speak volumes to prospective athletes and parents surveying them.

The IYCA was the catalyst that provided the motivation for me to keep learning. The knowledge they provide is credible and is taught by true professionals in the world of athletic training.

Do I have certifications through other organizations? I do. I have listened to, taken notes and installed training methods that have had an incredible impact on my clients. For example, I decided to get a certification in Triphasic Training, a weight lifting system. That coupled with the IYCA’s High School Conditioning Specialist certification gave me the confidence to write the programs needed to develop athletes.

It is the quality of instruction and materials inherent to those programs that gives a solid foundation to expand from.

I’m still taking classes! This is how I know that I’ve still got what it takes. Learning provides me with energy. It fuels me and makes me, literally, feel young.

If you get to a point in your career where you feel that you know it all, you’re on the way out.

You will grow stale, you will only go through the motions and it will be evident to others that you no longer care.

By the time you figure this out it may be too late to salvage the passion that you once had.

Final Lessons & Thoughts on Education

Stay sharp, invest in continuing education.
Listen to people that have been in the business for decades.
Education creates energy, and that is a superpower.
Competence & Confidence comes from putting your nose into knowledge.
Applied knowledge is king.
Feeling stagnant, learn something…anything, just activate your brain.

In summary, an educated trainer is confident and competent. Continuing to learn brings energy to the table. Energy will keep you going, it will radiate that you care. Most of your clients just want you to show that you care. Keep exercising that mind of yours it will keep you fresh!

Author: Doug Heslip

For more information on developing athletes, the IYCA Certified Athletic Development Specialist is the gold-standard certification for anyone working with athletes 6-18 years old.

Use Code HESLIP15 at checkout to receive 15% all of the IYCA resources.

3 Massive Benefits of Warm-Ups

Posted on: June 19th, 2024 by Sara Beth 3 Comments

Warm-Ups, why bother? Great question! In this blog I share 3 Massive Benefits of warm-ups.

In my last blog, Effective Sports Practices: Pre-Practice Steps for Every Coach I spoke about the importance of YOU preparing for practice. Consider this your ‘warm up’.

Now, let’s talk about the athletes and how we can help make their practice more effective, starting with the warm-up!

I have been told many times that “warm ups are boring and monotonous” or “I don’t have time for that”.

Well, to be fair- that may be true. But then I’d say, it’s also boring sitting on the bench because of an injury, pulled muscle or lack of ability to perform.

So, if you or your athletes want to stay in the game and even play at a higher level, read on.

3 Massive Benefits of Warm-Ups

Massive Benefit #1: The Transition

Warm ups can serve as a Mental Transition

Simply put, the warm-up is a mental transition from “day-to-day” to “it’s time to play”.

A transition, is a change from one thing to the next, either in action or state of being. It’s important to understand that this is a skill that can be developed.

Have you ever had that athlete or team that seems to have a hard time paying attention at the start of practice/performance?

You aren’t alone. Transition times can generally take between 5-15 minutes depending on the task at hand and the age of the athlete. Knowing this, providing athletes with a good 15 minute warm up can work wonders on helping them transition from ‘their world’ into ‘our world’.

Warm ups can serve as a Physical Transition

Let’s talk about the more obvious, physical transition.

A well designed warm-up, should leave every muscle…well, WARMED UP!

This may seem obvious, but I still see the old school ‘sit and reach’ stretching happening. Do you?

If you answered YES, then there is a huge opportunity for us to become a bigger part of the solution. If you are performing these ‘static stretches’, no worries- we’ve got you.

One of my favorite mantras for proper warm-ups I heard 15+ years ago at a Live IYCA Certification: “We prepare to move, by moving to prepare”

Massive Benefit #2: Reducing Injury Risk

There is a quite a bit of research out there that reports data on the effects of warming-up and reducing injury risk. I’d encourage you to do your own research if you want to delve deeper into the concept of Dynamic Stretching reducing Injury Risk.

Many injuries are out of our control and it’s accepted as ‘part of the game’. Warming up before physical activity increases muscle elasticity, improves blood flow and lubricates/loosens joints. But like anything else, too much stretching can lead to injury.

It’s up to you as the professional to monitor and provide proper warm-ups no matter what age you coach.

If you’d like some examples, please comment below what sport you coach and what ages!

Massive Benefit #3: Develops Athleticism

This benefit goes nicely with benefit #2, but I thought it deserved it’s own ‘shout out’.

I spent the morning training a high school football team, and in my days of working with 1000’s of athletes, I’ve always found it fascinating how their movement quality in their warm-up period is a leading indicator to their quality of performance over time.

As a former collegiate athlete, I now wished I took Dynamic Warm Ups more seriously!

Depending on the ages you coach, you may watch Athleticism develop right before your eyes in a very short period of time. Although warm-ups like High Knee Walks, Toe-Touch Walks, Butt Kicks, etc, may seem awkward at first, the body almost always ‘figures it out’ with minimal cueing, over time.

Give it time, and trust the process!

As I write, I’m reminded how incredibly important it is to incorporate warm-ups at all ages.

I hope this helps you re-affirm what you are already doing, or perhaps enlighten you to an opportunity that can amplify your athletes.

Julie Hatfield-Still

Brand Executive for the IYCA.

Julie is an Entrepreneur, CEO, Coach and Author.

She is founder of the Impact More Method for entrepreneurs and the Inner Game Framework for Athletes.

If you are a new coach or parent who wants more ideas about ways to play to develop athletic ability! Check our these 4 free games for performance from IYCA CEO Jim Kielbaso!

Effective Sports Practices:Pre-Practice Steps for Every Coach

Posted on: June 9th, 2024 by Sara Beth No Comments

Are you looking to run effective sports practices?

If you have ever coached a sport, even for just one season- you know the juggling act.

From parent communications, logistics of leading a team, understanding the skills & drills, to the actual coaching mechanism- it can be daunting, not to mention…exhausting.

We want to do our best to make your job as easy as possible. We also want to make sure that your athletes’ are getting what they need through the process.

This blog series is made to be a game of throw-and-catch!

Be sure to provide your feedback and thoughts in the comments.

Today, I am going to share Four Pre-Practice Steps for Every Coach to do before you even show up at practice.

They likely aren’t what you expect but if you do them you will see more effective sports practices.

Effective Sports Practices: Four Pre-Practice Steps for Every Coach

Step 1: Get your Sleep

That’s right, we are going there. Your sleep. When the vast majority walk around sleep-deprived or revved-up on caffeine, we can make the assumption that you may be in that boat too, at some point.

Do you expect your athletes’ to show up rested and ready?

Great, so make it routine to get a good nights rest before practice!

Step 2: Fuel up

Look, we get it, most of you are on point with your nutrition, but many of you aren’t. Just as you’d ask your athletes’ to put some good nutrients in the tank before practice, doesn’t it make sense that you show them how?

This is your pre-practice fuel. This may be the obvious, but a greasy burger and fries is not going to give you spring in your step at practice.

Opt for nutrient dense options about 30 minutes prior to practice.

Step 3: Drink up

At the very least, you need to be hydrated. Water! Enough said.

Step 4: Flip the Switch

Start incorporating a “flip the switch” practice for yourself. The purpose of this is for you to shift from your day-to-day, to your team. It’s a transition period, for YOU!

This could look a number of ways, here are a few suggestions but doesn’t have to take more than five minutes:

Here is a simple Framework:

Reflect

Reflect on your day. Write down everything that is lingering in your mind from the day. Get it on paper and let stay there, until you need to pick it back up again.

Connect

How do you want to show up?

Sit and focus on how you want to lead your practice today. Do you want more patience? Do you want to bring more energy? Do you want to be centered and calm?

Write it down.

Create

Lastly, what do you want to create today?

This is where your practice planning comes into play. What would success look like for you at the end of the day. Are there 2-3 main objectives that you want to accomplish today?

Write it down.

Breathe

Take 5 deep breaths, breathing IN your vision for your practice and breathing OUT anything that could get in the way of that.

For example:

Breath in: patience, pursuit and presence

Breath out: frustration

Breath in: confidence, calmness, creativity

Breath out: doubt

These may seem simple and obvious, but just like your athletes’, many are not actually doing the very things that are simple and obvious.

My encouragement for you is to be your own experiment, and always, be hungry, humble and coachable- just like we ask of the kids.

Let’s get after it.

Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section! What resonated, what is working for you?

Julie Hatfield-Still

Brand Executive for the IYCA.

Julie is an Entrepreneur, CEO, Coach and Author.

She is founder of the Impact More Method for entrepreneurs and the Inner Game Framework for Athletes.

This is Must-Have Handbook for every coach who desires to incorporate Long Term Athlete Development into their practices- Grab it Today

The Cornerstones of Coaching Athletes

Posted on: April 21st, 2024 by Sara Beth No Comments

The first coach a child has is likely to be the most unqualified coach the child has. This has it’s ramifications. We can’t over look the fact that every coach has the opportunity to improve THEIR game.

Look, it’s important for every coach to equip themselves with a high level of knowledge and education. No matter how long or short the stent is as ‘coach’ or how young/old their athletes are, this holds true.

Coaching youth, is a specialist role and we must treat it as such. Obtaining the label “coach” doesn’t make a instantly qualified coach.

Kids are not “mini-adults”, and having a coach that understands the nuances of coaching our children, is game changing!

Matter of fact, we’d argue that the first coach a kid has should be one of the most qualified when it comes to understanding the nuances. It’s in these early days that a child will likely develop a love for their sport or not. The tone can be set, and often times the coach is key player in this.

We can’t take this lightly, as this is a BIG responsibility.

The influence of a coach can be powerful in a positive way, and in a negative way. Being an effective coach is important. This can be defined a number of ways but we thought it best to ask some athletes’ themselves, and get their take on it.

Here are some of the answers.

Stated by a Multi-Sport, 15 year Old

“An effective coach is someone that knows how to say what they mean exactly how they mean it, an effective coach loves what he does but knows how to create a hard working athlete, a true athlete, they don’t take it easy on their athletes and they know exactly how much to work them and when, how to teach them to deal with any situation that is thrown at them “

Stated by a Multi-Sport, 12 Year Old

“An effective coach is someone who cares about their players but will also push them to be the best no matter what.”

Stated by a Multi-Sport, 13 Year Old Female

“An effective coach means being a good communicator, setting high standards, having a balance between yelling and not”

Stated by a Multi-Sport, 15 Year Old

“An effective coach is relatable, understanding, supportive, pushes you to get better, allows you to be you, and inspires you to keep playing.”

Stated by a Collegiate Baseball Athlete

“An effective coach is positive, smart, helpful and experienced”

Stated by Multi Sport 17 Year Old

“Maintains a good mix of seriousness and fun, cool-headed, makes intelligent decisions, maintains good relations with the players, defends the players, no (negative) yelling, does their best to actually teach and help players grow game IQ”

Conversely, ineffective coaches were described as bias, selfish, inexperienced, unfair, lack of game knowledge, discouraging, unclear in what they wanted of the team, got mad easily, gave in to parent-player politics, disorganized and the list goes on.

It was no surprise that the athletes polled expressed that their favorite coaches were those who were most effective and that their least favorite coaches had more of the characteristics expressed as ‘ineffective’.

Although these are merely a snapshot, and they are opinions, we truly believe there is some merit to them.

What we can also conclude is that there are some cornerstones that, when coaches ‘practice’ them, they will improve the experience for athletes.

Cornerstone #1:

Cultivate a Culture That is Positive & Caring

A culture of approachability, autonomy, fun and learning can be highly motivating and encouraging for young athletes. The kids want to be there and they carry the ‘culture’ beyond the game and even within other friend groups or families.

This kind of culture promotes development and transformation within each individual athlete. It must be done consistently and coaches who do this, often become known for how they lead their teams, and what their values are.

They may even be, ‘sought out’.

Cornerstone #2:

Be a Pro at Communicating

A youth coach has to be able to effectively communicate with parents, players and other professionals. The most successful coaches consistently work towards mastering the craft of communication.

Unfortunately, although this cornerstone is so incredibly important, many coaches don’t prioritize it and may even blame others’ for not understanding them. If you find that your message isn’t landing with others’, it may be time to assess your approach.

Communication is a skill that we can all build!

Cornerstone #3:

Specialist Knowledge Suited for the Position

This is one of the most overlooked cornerstones. It’s not enough to have ‘played the sport back in the day’ to sufficiently and successfully coach our kids. Being labeled coach doesn’t mean you are suited for the position and the greatest coaches know this and seek out support & education.

What many don’t realize is, there are many developmental nuances that require the coach to understand and practice when it comes to our youth. Not only that, consider all the different ways that kids need to be coached & taught.

A “cookie cutter approach” is a disservice to young athletes.

It’s also not enough to know just about the ‘technical’ aspect of the game. Sure, you can teach someone how to throw and catch, shoot, dribble, or the number of other technical skills but that doesn’t make them a good athlete.

This cornerstone is integral for the coach who wants to truly develop athletes to their fullest potential!

Check out this free resource to learn more about Training Athletes Through the Ages and some of these nuances we must consider.

Cornerstone #4:

Demonstrate Proficiency in Applying the Knowledge

It’s not enough to know, you must also apply the knowledge. The greatest coaches can distill down their education and translate it to our youth, at THEIR level in a way they can apply it.

Over complicating and over coaching on the delivery, is detrimental.

Those who can demonstrate proficiency in the delivery and application of that which they have learned, are on their way to becoming an exceptional coach who is the catalyst for exceptional experiences.

Keep working on this! It’s a skill that we can all build.

Top 3 Priorities of Coaches

Coaches are the catalyst for transformation. They help a child become better tomorrow than they are today. In order to do this well, it essential for a coach to take care of themselves.

Here are a few Priorities of a coach when it comes to that:

Prioritize their own mental fitness & Personal/Professional growth.
Prioritize their own physical well-being.
Prioritize their own emotional health.

Coaches are playing a very important game. Every day they show up to coach our future generations.

Now let’s get after it!

We’d love to hear from you. Comment below which Cornerstones are your strongest and which ones you need to work on.

Also, don’t forget to snag our Free Training on Developing Athletes from Start to Finish

-Thank you

The International Youth Conditioning Association

Why Youth Sports is a Losing Game and We Must Change

Posted on: March 9th, 2024 by Sara Beth No Comments

As an industry, we are playing a losing game right now and it’s time to look in the mirror. Consider this, if seven out of ten employees quit their job at a company due to burnout or overuse, it’s fair to assume the company would be concerned.

So what makes the youth sports industry any different…why aren’t we paying attention to our younger kids, seeing the red flags or doing something about this?

Perhaps some are, but it’s going to take MUCH more.

You may be wondering what we are talking about, and this is the first step…awareness. It starts here and in this article we hope to bring awareness to the problem and a staggering statistic that is plaguing our industry and setting our children and future generations up for failure.

In a recent study, by the American Academy of Pediatrics they stated that although over 60 million children and adolescents currently participate in organized sports, attrition rates remain staggeringly high, with 70% of youth athletes choosing to discontinue participation in organized sports by 13 years of age.

Look around your teams, training sessions and end-of-season parties, the likelihood is that 7 out of every 10 athletes will be done playing sports before they reach high school.

Most likely, the majority of those 70% will either get injured and sit or burnout and quit. This isn’t even considering the possibility that some athletes’ that remain playing, only do so because they feel they have to or are obligated to.

According to the study, the professionalization of youth sports is widely considered responsible and is a result of high volumes of training, the pressure to specialize which can increase odds of injuries, overtraining and burnout (2,3).

Burnout, however, is only one reason for dropout, others on the list include a loss of interest, lack of available time, interest in other activities, lack of playing time and lack of fun.

If you are reading these numbers as a coach, trainer, parent, athletic director or ANYONE who facilitates or coaches teams, we hope that it strikes a chord. Perhaps, even, there may be doubt about theses statistics?

If that is the case, don’t take it from us, get out there and educate yourself with credible resources and research.

In a take home message from Pediatric Child Health, participation in organized sports should be aimed at the developmental level (which may not be the ‘chronological age’) of the participants so that they enjoy being physically active. (2)

Children should be encouraged to participate in a variety of activities and avoid early specialization.(2)

Parents can be instrumental in promoting physical activity and sport participation in their children by ensuring that children are having fun at their development level. To provide a basis for lifelong involvement, parents and coaches should strive to provide positive sport experiences for children that match their interests and developmental capabilities. (2)

We hope you are asking…how do we fix this?

This is a question we’ve been asking for years, and the truth is, we need to take an all-hands-on-deck approach to reverse these trends.

We must change as a collective industry if we want to move toward a more sustainable direction for our young athletes. Parents, sport coaches, trainers, sport organization officials and schools must collectively come together and collaborate versus compete. We must work in synergy, not against each other, and we must keep the athlete a priority.

Are you with us?

So, where do we go from here?

There are some STOPS & STARTS we recommend so we set our future athletes up for the WIN not just in sport, but in life well into adult-hood.

1. START teaching foundational and functional skill development while promoting a well rounded approach to their overall development as an athlete respective to their athletic & developmental age. (Learn more about Long Term Athlete Development and Physical Literacy and how to do this)

2. START facilitating workouts & practices that are engaging, memorable and exciting with age appropriate games and training to keep sessions and practices engaging and FUN. (See the Long Term Athlete Development Model)

3. START encouraging and planning for athletes to take adequate time off- at least 1 or 2 days a week- to rest and recover.

4. STOP encouraging athletes to specialize, defined as: “year-round intensive training in a single sport at the exclusion of other sports.”(3) START taking OFF 2-3 months (they don’t have to be subsequent) from individual sports..

5. START supporting athletes’ in playing another sport while taking a ‘break’ and/or START seeing a Certified Performance Coach who is Certified to teach Long Term Athlete Development and Physical Literacy principles. (Recommended Certification)

6. START emphasizing and celebrating athletes in their process goals vs their performance outcomes.

7. START prioritizing the WHOLE athlete. Encourage mindfulness and emphasize overall habits of athletic health (Hydration, Nutrition, Sleep, Mindset, Motion, Relationships, etc). Seek out or become a specialist beyond the ‘skill of the game’ when needed.

8. START implementing the Long Term Athlete Development Model and reinforcing Physical Literacy principles or seek out a performance professional who is Certified to Coach athletes at their developmental and athletic ages, which could be different than their chronological age. (Recommended Certification).

9. STOP coaching all athletes the same. START understanding how they need to be coached to be most successful, and adjust to meet them where they are at.

10. Lastly, START 1-9 as soon as possible!

There is no doubt that involvement in sports can be extraordinary and positive experiences for young athletes, but we have a long way to go in providing these experiences consistently. We believe that this should be the duty and mission of every Sport Coach, Sports Organization, Athletic Director, Performance Professional and Parent.

As an organization, The IYCA strives to positively impact the healthy living habits and behaviors of tomorrow’s generation. We know that developmentally-sound, purposeful, and fun movement exposures provided through conditioning, fitness and sports are critical building blocks in developing from the younger years and well into adulthood.

The first step is awareness, then education and action!

We know that some may read this right now and not take action, but some of you will be ready to join this mission and take action. If that is you, keep reading! Below are two of our best resources that will start to bridge the gap that is causing our athletes to drop out, burnout and lose.

If you are a community builder and want to play your part in reversing this staggering trend in your community, then the IYCA Certified Athlete Development Specialist is the perfect stepping stone to furthering your knowledge in order to provide extraordinary long-term experiences for the athletes you work with.

If you are looking to learn more and further your knowledge on how to develop athletes long term in a healthy and appropriate way but aren’t in need of a certification, then a great next step would be Long Term Athlete Development: The Lifelong Training Roadmap

Now, let’s go WIN THIS game!

– The International Youth Conditioning Association

References:

1. Joel S. Brenner, MD, MPH, FAAP; Andrew Watson, MD, MS, FAAP; COUNCIL ON SPORTS MEDICINE AND FITNESS https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/153/2/e2023065129/196435/Overuse-Injuries-Overtraining-and-Burnout-in-Young

2. Sport readiness in children and youth. Paediatr Child Health. 2005 Jul;10(6):343-4. PMID: 19675844; PMCID: PMC2722975.

3. Jayanthi N, Kleithermes S, Dugas L, Pasulka J, Iqbal S, LaBella C. Risk of Injuries Associated With Sport Specialization and Intense Training Patterns in Young Athletes: A Longitudinal Clinical Case-Control Study. Orthop J Sports Med. 2020 Jun 25;8(6):2325967120922764. doi: 10.1177/2325967120922764. PMID: 32637428; PMCID: PMC7318830.

Physical Literacy: The Game and Beyond

Posted on: March 2nd, 2024 by Sara Beth No Comments

Athletic development across the lifespan is a complex process that is heavily influenced by the cognitive and physical maturity of the individual. Unfortunately, conditioning and fitness programming for the developing athlete have most often been designed around routines initially intended for adult and elite level athletes.

This is NOT appropriate or effective and can set kids up for failure. It can also put the young athlete at risk for acute and chronic injury.

By understanding the process of motor development, the coach or youth fitness professional will be far better equipped to create long-term programs that are developmentally appropriate every step of the way. This will only optimize the experience of the young athlete in the game and beyond the game.

Physical literacy is the goal and the cornerstone of basic human movement and fundamental movement skills. It is described as motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge, and understanding to value and engage in a physically active lifestyle (1. Longmuir C, Boyer C et al.)

The youth fitness professional, parents and sport coaches must apply the concepts of physical literacy in order to ensure that the child may have the best opportunity to develop and achieve success in movement, sport, and life.

This needs to be a combined effort from coaches, trainers, parents/guardians, and children.

Developing the fundamental movement skills (e.g., walking, running, and jumping) happens early on in a child’s life. Unfortunately, being unable to perform fundamental movement skills can restrict later opportunities, which is why it is vital to develop physical literacy early in the child’s life.

As coaches, if we hope to create great athletes who have a chance at being successful for the long haul, then your programs must be based on Long Term Athletic Development.

Just like a baby must learn to roll over before crawling, crawl before standing, stand before walking, and walk before running, your athletes need to build a foundation for elite level athletic performance before they can reach their maximum potential.

When athletes specialize early and skip critical steps in building this foundation, they are at extreme risk for injury and burnout. The trouble is, building that foundation early isn’t always sexy. And often coaches may not understand the exact steps to building the foundation.

However, that’s not your fault! Many are inundated with ‘influence’ of non-experts in this area and it’s at a detriment to our kids.

When it comes down to it, you and the athletes want results, and you’ve been told that specialization is the way to do it. Unfortunately this is wrong and setting our athletes up for failure, in their game and beyond their game.

But the trends are shifting, and it’s time to get back on the path towards Physical Literacy and Long Term Athlete Development for EVERY athlete!

The very first step in any effort towards change, is to gain education. Our Long Term Athlete Development Roadmap is the perfect place to start or enhance your current knowledge.

Will you join the mission with us?

We cannot do this alone and we need other parents, trainers, school administration, sport coaches and professionals to stand up for Long Term Athlete Development and Physical Literacy.

It’s time to move. Our athletes’ will thank us!

We’d love to hear from you, don’t hesitate to share your thoughts in the comments!

References:

1. Longmuir C, Boyer C, Lloyd M, Yang Y, Boiarskaia E, Zhu W, Tremblay M. The Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy: methods for children in grades 4 to 6 (8-12 years). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4532252/#CR1

2. Gleason, D, Brooks, T, Fleming, W. Long Term Athlete Development: The Lifelong Training Roadmap. https://iyca.org/ltad/

Athlete Development through the Ages

Posted on: February 25th, 2024 by Sara Beth No Comments

It is no secret that the development of the young athlete is multifaceted and it is the responsibility of the coach and/or trainer to take into consideration developmental, physical, and psychological aspects of training.

Stodden et al. (2008) has developed a model proposing that motor skill development, physical fitness, and perceived competence interact synergistically over time and will lead to increased physical activity and healthy weight trajectories over time from early childhood into adolescence.1

The crux of the model proposes that the early development of gross fundamental motor skills, promoted via early movement experiences and opportunities to be active will lead to positive trajectories of the child’s overall development.

Specifically, the development of multi joint, ballistic skills (e.g., locomotor and object control skills) can directly improve not only coordination and control, but also muscular strength, muscular endurance, power, agility, and cardiorespiratory endurance. In addition, positive developmental trajectories of these physical attributes will promote positive body composition, physical activity, and psychological attribute trajectories.

In addition to promoting motor skill development in a traditional sense, integrating developmentally-appropriate resistance training will further enhance the development of the young athlete.

Understanding how to integrate multiple aspects of training necessitates understanding the background and developmental status of each individual athlete.

Athletic development across the lifespan is a complex process that is heavily influenced by the cognitive and physical maturity of the individual. Unfortunately, conditioning and fitness programming for the developing athlete have most often been designed around “watered down” routines initially intended for adult and elite-level athletes.

Not only is such practice of limited effectiveness, but also can put the young athlete at risk for acute and chronic injury. By understanding the process of motor development and designing programming that is not only developmentally appropriate but also fun and engaging, the trainer and/or coach, is quite literally laying the necessary foundation for motor skill and injury prevention.

Perhaps most importantly, appropriate practice at the early stages of development also establishes an early love for physical activity that will be essential for overall health and fitness later in life.

The ultimate goal, wouldn’t you agree?

Learn more about the development of athletes through the ages and what to consider as a coach/trainer? We would like to send you a free Video doing just that- where IYCA CEO and LTAD Expert Jim Kielbaso breaks down Training athletes from Start to Finish

References/Resources:

1-Stodden DF, Goodway J, Langendorfer S, et al. A developmental perspective on the role of motor skill competence in physical activity: An emergent relationship. Quest. 2008;60:290-306.

Essentials of Youth Fitness & Conditioning Text by Toby Brooks, PhD, David Stodden, PhD & Jim Kielbaso, MS

The Super Power of Great Coaches and Leaders – Brett Klika

Posted on: April 26th, 2022 by Sara Beth 1 Comment

Great coaches know how to connect with their athletes beyond “X’s and O’s”.

We all know brilliant coaches who understand programming and tactics, but when it comes to igniting a fire within their athletes, they can’t seem to make it happen. We also know coaches with an “adequate” level of knowledge and experience that have athletes who will run through a brick wall for them. Coach in weight room

Research on the world’s most successful coaches and leaders points to the fact that tactical knowledge and experience are only a small part of what makes them successful. Effective coaches must also have the skills required to gain trust, commitment, and buy-in from their athletes.

For years, these skills were considered the “intangibles” of effective leadership that only a few gifted coaches possessed. A rapidly expanding field of research in leadership and performance has now identified these specific skill sets that allow great leaders to create an optimal relationship with those they lead. Together, these skillsets create the critical leadership attribute called emotional intelligence, or EQ.

Coaches with a high level of EQ are able and willing to adjust their communication style to the needs of their athletes. They are aware of their own attitudes and behaviors and how these impact the training environment. Emotionally intelligent coaches reflect on how they can continually improve their ability to communicate and inspire the best performance in their athletes.

Imagine refining your leadership skills to develop an even more effective relationship and communication style with your athletes. Consider how the ability to quickly develop trust, buy-in, and enthusiasm can help you further unlock their potential.

The good news is that emotional intelligence can be developed. Just like a movement skill, it can be broken down into individual components that can improve with training.

The 5 skillsets that comprise emotional intelligence are:

Self-awareness
Self-regulation
Motivation
Empathy
Social Skill

Let’s look at how you can add EQ to your coaching IQ by developing the individual skill sets of emotional intelligence.

Self-awareness
Self-awareness is the ability to identify your strengths, weaknesses, values, and impact on others honestly and accurately. This awareness can be general or situational.

Developing the skill of self-awareness can be challenging, as it requires you to be vulnerable enough to move past ego and insecurity. When something isn’t working in the coach/athlete relationship, it requires you to honestly reflect on your role in this shortcoming.

To develop this skill set, self-reflection is critical. However, it’s also important to gain feedback from colleagues and mentors while resisting the urge to become defensive. Record yourself coaching and evaluate what you do well from a communication standpoint, and what you can do better.

Identifying a personal weakness doesn’t suggest failure any more than identifying a strength suggests complete mastery. The goal of continual personal assessment isn’t to label, justify, or judge your behavior. It’s merely information. When you are aware of this information, you have the ability to develop and access more effective coaching tools that match the needs of your athletes.

Self-regulation
Self-regulation is the ability to consciously control your actions, reactions, and moods.

Gaining control over emotional response can be difficult. Consider, however, how your mood and/or emotional reactions impact your training environment. If you show up to a training session in a bad mood, already agitated, how do you expect your interactions with athletes to go? When this happens frequently, what does this do for your ability to gain trust and buy-in from your athletes?

To develop the skill of self-regulation, consider the situations that bring out your most ineffective emotional responses. In what specific ways do these emotional responses impact the training environment? Is this the training culture you aim to create? Now, identify and write down more effective ways to deal with these situations. As you are coaching, look for opportunities to exercise these more effective emotional responses.

Motivation
Motivation is a measure of your drive to succeed.

It could be assumed that all coaches are motivated to create success with their athletes. However, notoriety, promotion, financial gain, and other self-serving aspects of motivation can come into play. While pursuing success for your athletes can result in all the above, the most effective coaches are motivated by achievement for the sake of achievement.

What motivates you as a coach? Consider the aspects of coaching that have made you voluntarily go above and beyond. What gets you excited? What pulls you to give everything you have to your athletes?

Do you get just as excited when a young athlete improves at a skill as when a high-profile professional athlete does? Why or why not? There’s no wrong or “bad” answer when you reflect on your personal sources of motivation. Just be aware that when athletes trust that your core motivations are in line with theirs, you have the greatest opportunity at positive impact.

Empathy
Empathy is your ability to understand and acknowledge others’ emotions and how these emotions impact their performance.

An empathetic coach tries to put themselves in their athletes’ shoes and considers their emotional makeup. A struggling athlete may be having problems at home or in the classroom, impacting their on-field performance. Acknowledging these struggles and offering words of encouragement while still holding high standards for this athlete is more effective than continually rebuking their performance.

The age, ability level, and background of our athletes can impact their emotional make-up on a daily basis. Consider the person you were when you were in middle or high school. How about college? What were the different challenges you dealt with? How would you want a coach to help you manage these challenges while helping you improve your athletic ability?

Empathy is not merely justifying and/or accepting any and all athlete behavior. It’s merely acknowledging that your athletes come from diverse backgrounds and experiences that impact their emotional makeup. Developing awareness and effective strategies to manage various emotional states shows you care about the athlete as a person.

Social Skill
Social Skill is the ability to develop rapport with others. As a coach, it’s critical for your athletes to know you have their best interests in mind. This goes beyond the tactics of training.

A coach with great social skill can quickly relate to and gain athletes’ trust by connecting on a “human” level. This can be as easy as asking an athlete how they are feeling, or what they did over the weekend. It could be demonstrated by actively listening and asking questions when an athlete shares something about their life. Either way, this demonstrates that the coach/athlete relationship isn’t merely transactional.

When you demonstrate a genuine interest in your athletes as people, they learn to trust that you have their best interests in mind.

Great coaches are always looking for opportunities to become more effective in leading their athletes to excellence. Consider the skill set of emotional intelligence and your own improvement with these skills could significantly impact young lives.

Brett Klika is a youth performance expert and a regular contributor to the IYCA who is passionate about coaching young athletes. He is the creator of the SPIDERfit Kids youth training program and has run successful youth fitness programs all over the country. Brett is an international speaker whose passion for youth fitness has helped thousands of people learn how to create exceptional training experiences for young athletes.

Thank you for reading this article our gift to you is a FREE Training Video on Developing Athletes from Start to Finish, from IYCA CEO, Jim Kielbaso: Get your FREE TRAINING TODAY!

Are you ready to really take your knowledge to the next level?

The IYCA Certified Athletic Development Specialist is the gold-standard certification for anyone working with athletes 6-18 years old. The course materials were created by some of the most experienced and knowledgeable professionals in the industry, and the content is indisputably the most comprehensive of any certification related to athletic development. Learn more about the CADS certification here:

The Right Time for Youth Athletes to Start Training – Brett Bartholomew

Posted on: December 12th, 2021 by Sara Beth No Comments

When is the right time for youth athletes to start training? This is a question parents ask all the time, and it’s something that athletic develop specialists need to be able to address in great detail. The key to the entire process of long term athlete development is to expose athletes to as many different activities as possible and not rush the process.

Of course, it’s not that simple. The IYCA’s flagship certification, the Certified Athletic Development Specialist, is an entire course dedicated to this process, so there are many things to take into consideration. We need to understand how to teach exercises adequately, choose exercises appropriately, create a proper training schedule, change exercises/programming when necessary and more.

Long-time friend of the IYCA, Brett Bartholomew, spends a lot of time addressing coaching & communication issues, and he has become one of the industry’s foremost experts in that area. But, because Brett has had such a wealth of experiences, he often addresses other important topics. In this video, Brett gives an amazingly concise answer to the question of when athletes should begin training:

To be clear, Brett’s does not go into detail on the specifics of developing athletes, but his explanation almost perfectly mirrors the views of the IYCA – give kids lots of different activities, avoid specialization, understand training age, don’t focus on competition, and “slow cook” the process.

Often, experienced coaches know a lot about athletic development, but have a difficult time putting all of their knowledge into words. This is the kind of video you can share with other parents and coaches to help them understand the process without going into too much detail.

We hope Brett’s video helps you verbalize the importance of the LTAD model, and gives you ammunition to continue doing what’s best for young athletes.

Brett Bartholomew is a strength and conditioning coach, author, consultant, and Founder of Art of Coaching™. His experience includes working with athletes both in the team environment and private sector along with members of the United States Special Forces and members of Fortune 500 companies.

Taken together, Brett has coached a diverse range of athletes from across 23 sports world-wide, at levels ranging from youth athletes to Olympians. He’s supported numerous Super Bowl and World Series Champions, along with several professional fighters in both professional boxing as well as the UFC. Visit ArtofCoaching.com for more information or follow Brett on all social media platforms for daily updates.

For more information on developing athletes, the IYCA Certified Athletic Development Specialist is the gold-standard certification for anyone working with athletes 6-18 years old. The course materials were created by some of the most experienced and knowledgeable professionals in the industry, and the content is indisputably the most comprehensive of any certification related to athletic development. Learn more about the CADS certification here:

Keeping Young Athletes Training – Brett Klika

Posted on: August 24th, 2021 by Sara Beth No Comments

Few things will help a young athlete develop physical skills at a higher level than consistent training. As youth strength and conditioning coaches, much of what we know from the legendary Bompa’s, Balyi’s, Drabik’s, and Verkhoshanskys of the world has been based on their observations working with kids daily, in a completely immersive institutionalized setting, for a long period of time.

We are faced with a very different model of consistency here in the United States. If you are working as a youth strength and conditioning coach in the private sector, young athletes’ participation in your program is treated more like an “additional activity” than a necessary aspect of their long-term development.

When mom and dad’s time, money, and energy aren’t too constrained, their child gets to participate in your program. At the first sign of any scarcity of these resources, parents will find a reason to discontinue.

To create more consistency, measurable results, and business sustainability, it’s important to evaluate how to create a business model and training environment that keeps kids and parents engaged for the long-term with our programs.

In my over 15 years of creating youth fitness programs of all sizes, in addition to SPIDERfit Kids’ current consultation with youth sports and fitness organizations around the world, this is one of the challenges I’ve set out to tackle.

Taking into account my own experiences in addition to parent questionnaires, market research, and other “experiments” done by the coaches we consult with, we’ve been able to identify some critical aspects of creating a business model and training experience that increases long term retention for 5–12 year-old athletes.

While not all coaches have the ability to impact their employer’s business model, below are some simple aspects of the training environment that we’ve found to increase program adherence.

Coach and athlete name recognition
Parent communication
Incentives for progression

Coach and Athlete Name Recognition

One of the fastest and easiest ways to create a community where young athletes feel like they belong is for coaches and other athletes to know and use their names as soon as possible. Likewise, young athletes should know their coaches and other program participant’s names. If a young athlete doesn’t know their coach’s name after their first day of training, it’s a missed opportunity that trivializes the coach’s engagement.

This isn’t something that happens passively for most so I encourage coaches to make it a pillar of their program. It should immediately become obvious to everyone involved that knowing everyone’s names is a critical aspect of your program.

When a child feels like they belong, they feel a sense of accountability and community. This is relayed when they’re talking to their parents about their experience with your program. It is more difficult for parents and young athletes to leave a program where they feel like they are part of a community.

Parent Communication

Remember, most parents of young athletes pay for a program that they don’t’ stick around to watch. Somewhere between when parents drop their young athletes off and when they pick them up, you’re most likely doing some cool stuff to enrich their child’s life. How do parents know that?

I’ve learned that coaches can’t assume parents have any idea what’s happening with their child between drop off and pick up. Young kids aren’t exactly forthcoming in sharing the details of a day of training either.

This makes it critical for coaches to connect with parents either in person, on the phone, via email, or by text at least once per week. Once a child is old enough to drive themselves to training, communication doesn’t have to be as frequent.

To keep this communication concise and effective, I recommend the “4 Sentence Conversation”:

Tell the parent something their child did well that day/week.
Share a unique personality trait that their child has that allows them to be successful (“Logan is really using her arms well when she runs. She’s such a good listener, she really takes coaching well.”)
Share one thing you are working on.
Share how this skill contributes to one of the long-term goals shared by the parent or athlete.

This level of consistent feedback brings parents into the process. It leaves no question as to where their investment of time, money, and energy in your program is going. They are less likely to discontinue participation when they understand where their child is in the developmental process. It doesn’t hurt that they get to know you better either.

These conversations are also a very personalized forum to encourage sign-ups for future programs in addition to soliciting testimonials and referrals.

Another step you can take to bring parents into the process is to regularly text a picture or video of their child in action. Obviously, be sensitive to parent concerns about pictures of their child, but I can honestly say I’ve never had an issue sending a parent a picture of their child in action when they are not there to see them.

The above steps provide a consistent answer to “what am I paying for?” This increases the value of your program so it becomes a higher priority on the endless list of things kids are doing or could be doing.

When looking at the different interventions we have taken with coaches in order to help them improve their program adherence with 5-12 year-olds, frequent 1-1 parent interaction has emerged as one of the most important factors.

Incentives for Progression

Another way to keep kids and parents excited and engaged with a long-term developmental program is to clearly define developmental benchmarks for skills and recognize kids for accomplishing these benchmarks.

Consider the success of the “belt” system in martial arts for keeping kids and parents engaged with the program. A young martial artist and their parents are aware of universal criteria for progression. To get the next belt, they have to do “X”. Once they do “X”, they earn a public symbol of accomplishment and acumen; a colored belt.

In terms of youth strength and conditioning, picture creating levels designated by a colored wrist band, t-shirt, or other designation. To earn a certain color of wristband, a young athlete has to display competency with a list of skills and accomplishments.

For example, for a “Level 1” wristband, youth athletes would need to:

Identify relevant gym equipment by name
Identify specific anatomy
Recite a gym mantra or ethos by memory in front of a group
Perform 1-3 fundamental movement patterns with developmentally appropriate criteria
Perform an at-home chore, activity, etc. a certain number of times with parent signature

Once the athlete accomplishes these criteria, they receive an appropriately colored wristband or other awards. They are immediately aware of what they must do to accomplish the next level.

Notice the criteria for progression involve skills beyond exercise. This allows a coach to reinforce the expectation, culture, and positive external influence of their program.

The coaches I have worked with that have implemented this type of system report that:

Kids become more engaged in the learning process. They want to master skills so they can get to the next defined level.
Parents are more aware of specific skills and why they are important to the process of development. They also value the at-home progression criteria that compels their kids to do things they usually wouldn’t do; like making their bed, clearing their dinner dishes, etc.
Assessments have become more relevant to the needs of young athletes. The focus shifts to the quality of a movement vs. merely the magnitude. This ensures that the focus of progression at young ages is skill proficiency.
Coaches are able to expand their expectations for things outside of exercise. They are seeing more at-home adherence in addition to increased attention to other aspects of their program they deem important. Imagine how much more efficient coaching becomes when athletes are expected to understand basic anatomy, equipment vocabulary, and other important aspects of training.
Kids are staying in their programs longer.

The more I’ve worked with coaches from different organizations and programs, it’s become more and more clear that when it comes to creating a program that maximizes engagement with kids and parents, it’s not so much what we do, but how we do it. These concepts seem so simple, yet we as coaches often forget their importance.

The best training program in the world in a disengaged, disconnected environment fails to deliver results for anyone involved.

There are also quite a few factors associated with the business model, like how payments are collected (EFT!), how frequently programs are run (no “gaps” between programs!), and others that impact program adherence. However, not every coach in an organization has influence over these factors.

Whether you own a youth fitness facility or work for one, remember to take the above steps to create a training environment that gets parents and kids excited to be committed for the long haul.

10 Ways to Improve Athleticism in Young Athletes – Jeremy Frisch

Posted on: April 19th, 2021 by Sara Beth No Comments

Like King Arthur searched for the legendary Holy Grail, many coaches, parents, and sports performance experts are on a quest to find the perfect way to improve athleticism and develop young athletes into world champions. So far, no perfect formula has been created. There are simply too many variables involved for anyone to create a magical pathway that can be replicated over and over again to churn our world class athletes like a factory.

Instead, science and experience have taught us a lot about athletic development so that we can apply fundamental principles and methods throughout an athlete’s life, sort of like an artist painting a picture.

Jeremy Frisch has come up with a list of 10 ways to improve athleticism in young athletes that draw on many of the fundamental principles taught in all IYCA materials. As you read this list, you should appreciate the simplicity of what is being shared. As many people look for new, sexy, and innovative ways to developing athleticism, Jeremy has drawn on his experiences working with thousands of young athletes to boil things down into simple tasks that need to be repeated and varied throughout a child’s life.

Enjoy Jeremy’s list and be sure to comment below:

1. Jumping: Jumping is the secret weapon to develop explosiveness… there is no such thing as jumping slow. Jump for height, jump for distance, jump over, sideways, side-to-side, one foot, two feet and with twists and turns. The more variety the better the coordination developed.

2. Sprinting: The best age to develop the foundation for speed is ages 7-11. Kids need not worry about technique and should only be concerned with effort. Max effort will help self organize technique. Simply challenge them to give their best effort by using racing, chasing and relay races.

3. Calisthenics: The simple stuff like we did back in P. E. Remember jumping jacks? How about the lost art of jumping rope? Calisthenics are a fantastic tool for warming up and coordination activities. Simple? Yes… but much more effective than jogging around a soccer field if the goal is to improve athleticism.

4. Gymnastics: Gymnastic activities develop body awareness, landing/falling skills, static and dynamic positions, balance, body toughness. You don’t need Olympic routines to get benefits, simply learning how to roll, cartwheel and various static holds can go a long way to improve athleticism.

5. Strength: Strength training is not just lifting weights. For children it can come in other forms like tug of war, monkey bars, rope climbing, play, parkour and ninja warrior. The key is using activities that require the athlete to create muscular tension.

6. Pick-up games: Any sports game like flag football, baseball, basketball, wiffleball, etc. or made up classic games like capture the flag, dodgeball and pickle. The key is minimal adult intervention. Let the kids decide the rules, winners and losers. improve athleticism through pick up games

7. Tag: (the athlete maker) The game of tag develops all around agility. Sprinting, stopping, starting, spatial awareness… mixed in with a whole bunch of decision making and, of course, all-around fun. Tag carries over to almost every sport. Play in different size spaces or make up different rules for variety.

8. Stop playing one sport all year around: Multiple sports develop multiple skills…the more skills the better the all-around athlete…skills transfer! Physically, the body gets a rest from repetitive stress and mentally, the athlete stays fresh from new activities.

9. Screen time: Limit screen time as much as possible. Eyes get fixed in a two dimensional landscape, and sitting for long periods is not good for anyone. Sensory overload without a physical outlet creates stress, anxiety and angry outbursts.

10. Have Fun: If young athletes have fun they are 90% there. When kids have fun, they come back and the more
consistency they have the more skills they develop over time without even realizing it.

Jeremy Frisch is the owner and director of Achieve Performance Training in Clinton, Massachusetts. Although he trains people of all ages and abilities, his main focus is to improve athleticism in young athletes, physical education, and physical literacy.

Jeremy is the former assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Holy Cross athletic department. Prior to joining Holy Cross, Frisch served as the sports performance director at Competitive Athlete Training Zone in Acton, Massachusetts. In 2004, he did a strength and conditioning internship at Stanford University. Frisch is a 2007 graduate of Worcester State College, with a bachelor’s degree in health science and physical education.

Effective Communication: Starting the Conversation – Jill Kochanek

Posted on: March 30th, 2021 by Sara Beth No Comments

Effective communication is based on the needs of each player and team. When coaches give players voice, we can more fully understand what our athletes need to feel optimally supported. This post offers coaches useful activities for addressing what effective communication means for their team and athletes. Though just a starting point, this session is an example of how coaches can start a conversation with players to glean valuable information about their needs and co-create team standards for effective communication.

As many of us finish up the winter season, I want to bring up a topic, which comes up a lot in my work with athlete and coaches: effective communication. This entry explores what effective communication means for your team and athletes. To do so, I offer a recap of a session on effective communication that I’ve facilitated with my high school student-athletes. You might consider integrating any, or all, of these activities as an off-the-field preseason session. These activities are meant to draw on team knowledge and co-create communication standards with your athletes. Reflection and discussion centers on several questions: What type of communication does an athlete/teammate need and when? What constitutes effective communication on our team? What does effective communication look like in action? Feel free to use, leave out, or adapt any aspect of this session to best fit you as a coach, your context, and athletes.

Before I overview the session, let me give some background on what led me to the “communication” drawing board. Last year, communication became a point of emphasis for my high school girls’ team. We started the season with a young squad, only one senior, a sizable freshmen class, and several returning players who had only joined us the year prior. Some might call this a “rebuilding year.” I cringe when I hear that statement because it can shift a coach’s focus from improving based on where athletes are at to a preoccupation with proving oneself (as a coach or team). When coaches adopt this mentality, doing so can come at the expense of athlete development. Optimally challenging (and raising the bar for) players becomes a more difficult task when we safeguard against defeat and lower expectations before our players even step onto the field. As coaches, let’s not fall into this trap!

Young teams might lack the foundational skills that you wish they possessed, but these groups present a unique opportunity for coaches as culture creator to establish—and reinforce—good habits. If coaches plant these seeds with athletes early on, they are more likely to internalize those behavior patterns and model them for new and future players.

As a younger group, we not only lacked on-field communication but also clear standards for what effective communication meant on our team. The mix of inexperience and diverse player personalities led to instances of ineffective communication: younger players feeling as though older players were bossing them around, and older players feeling as though younger players were not listening or committed. After a few conflicts between players, our coaching staff decided that the group would benefit from more an explicit conversation on effective communication.

Here is a breakdown of the session—keeping this caveat in mind: as with technical/tactical skill building, culture building and behavior change are on-going processes. One session on effective communication will not be a complete cure-all. Consistent reinforcement is essential for players, and coaches, to internalize desired values and actions. As coaches, we not only need to model these behaviors. And, we need to encourage players when they effectively communicate and own our mistakes when we fall short of doing so.

Effective Communication Session Synopsis

Activity I: Effective communication on our team
I started by asking the girls to think of a recent moment in which a teammate effectively communicated to them (e.g., encouragement, instruction, suggestion, or criticism). They wrote down who that teammate was, what happened, and why the communication was effective for them. This was meant to guide athletes to self-reflect on their needs, but also gave them a chance to recognize their teammates.

Debrief: As a group, we discussed their responses. I did not have each girl share their who-what-why, but took notice of which players spoke up (or did not) and who was actively listening. Several girls offered their responses, and I probed players to consider commonalities and differences across examples. We distilled these anecdotes down to key characteristics of effective communication on our team, which were honest, direct, & positive. With this definition, I emphasized to players that it’s not just what we say that is impactful, but how we communicate—that communication needs to be honest and selfless. Praise that is not earnest can undermine our legitimacy as the communicator and backfire. At the same time, our communication should aim to help teammates be successful—to build each other up—not break us down. When players know that teammates mean well, and are genuinely trying to support our success, they will be more open to receiving corrective instruction (or constructive criticism) and less likely to take feedback personally.

The first reflective activity helped our group established what effective communication means for our team. While we might define communication that is honest, direct, and positive as our team standard, I asked players to consider if, and how, effective communication might depend on the individual and context. Though we might defer to honest, direct, and positive feedback in most teammate interactions and team situations, how we communicate may depend on who we are working with and how they show up on that day.

Activity II: Effective communication as individual and context specific
I asked each girl to write down what kind of communication they need from their teammates (or coaches) when they are having a good day versus bad day. I clarified that the good-bad day scenario could be for a host of reasons, including but not limited to sport-related events. I invited each player to share her perspective with the group in this second activity. In this case, I wanted to give each person the opportunity to speak to her needs, and likewise teammates (and myself) the chance to listen and gain insight into how to best support each player. Here were some of common responses from our group:

“I am motivated by the little things. It’s a huge boost when you catch me, and let me know, that I doing the little things well.”

“I want limited feedback on my bad days.”
“Hold me accountable when things aren’t going my way.”
“I just want you to tell me what to do!”

“I need positive reinforcement no matter what kind of day I am having. I had a bad coach when I was younger. He would always scream at us, and it’s still hard for me to shake that.”

Debrief: Once players shared what they need in terms of communication, I identified some of the common themes and differences across our responses. Then, I circled back to our team captains and asked what they thought were key take-home messages from our activities for us, as a team, to take away from the session and how we put that information into action. Give them the space and agency to communicate to their teammates, establish expectations, and define actions. After they spoke, I validated their responses and asked if anyone else from the group has something to add.

Conclusion
This session is one example of how to start a conversation with your players to glean valuable information about their needs and co-create team standards for effective communication. Effective communication is individual and context specific—based on the needs of each player and team. When coaches give players voice, we can more fully understand what our young people need to feel optimally supported. At the end of the day, it’s not about us – it’s about them.

Facilitating a session on effective communication, however, is not a quick fix—it’s a starting point. Consistent reinforcement of effective communication when coaches catch players doing so is necessary for all team members to internalize those behaviors. Along with praiseworthy actions, coaches need to attend to “challenge moments”: when players (or coaches themselves) fall short of effectively communicating based on team standards. Coaches can use “challenge moments” as opportunities to reinforce desired behaviors (or acknowledge their own mistakes) and encourage athletes to see mistakes as a part of the learning and culture-building process.

Politics and Athletic Development? – Jim Kielbaso

Posted on: October 14th, 2020 by Sara Beth No Comments

This election season has really gotten me to think about things in a way that relates to athletic development and the business of strength & conditioning. Now, before you get upset thinking I’m gonna talk about politics, I’m not! Instead, I’ve noticed that the way we consume politics is very similar to the way we consume information about strength and conditioning, and it’s probably not the best way for us to make decisions.

In my opinion, one of the most important traits we can have is the ability to keep an open mind, research facts, and not get swept up in feelings, half-truths, and people saying whatever they feel like.

I’m talking about strength and conditioning right now, not politics!

I’m talking about understanding complex training concepts and knowing the facts. But, the only way you’re going to know the facts is by digging deep and finding out what actually works, not what people SAY works or what you FEEL works.

A lot of people make programming decisions based on things like “well, so and so said this” or “I’m doing this program because this other coach or sports figure does it” or “I really think this looks cool.” I also hear A LOT of people say things like “in my experience….” Well, experience certainly matters, but if you haven’t been in coaching for years, trusting your limited experience could be a mistake. You may want to count on the experiences of people who have been doing it for 20, 30, 40 years.

And, saying you read something doesn’t automatically make it a fact. If you read it in a magazine, on a blog, or on Twitter, that is NOT the same as reading it in a scientific journal, taking a course, or learning from a coach who has been in the trenches for 20 years. These are big differences and the election cycle kind of got me thinking about this because I’m noticing a lot of people also making both their political AND training decisions based on small bits of information without getting more details.

We see something on Instagram from someone with a bunch of followers, and we instantly think it must be the truth instead of digging deeper, doing our own research and getting the whole story. So, whether it’s politics or strength & conditioning, it’s important to get the whole story before you make a decision.

I think we need to think about foundational concepts and ignore too much hype or what “everybody else is doing.” We don’t need to pick sides and follow people blindly based on who your friends like. Do you really decide who to vote for by seeing signs on the road? Or do you make up your mind based on facts and digging in and actually learning about what’s going on?

Are you able to sift through the garbage on the internet? In both cases, politics and strength and conditioning, we are on absolute overload with garbage. In politics, they call it fake news. In S & C, it’s called bro-science. There’s too much out there and it’s hard to sift through it all. How can we sift through it all? We can’t. It’s impossible. But you can’t check social media and call that education. It’s not. It’s just social media where there are no fact-checkers, and there’s just too much out there to keep track of everything.

It has really become a challenge for many professionals to dive deep into a topic because we’ve gotten so used to short blips of information. Many coaches make training decisions based on a YouTube video or Instagram post. If you see something on social media, that should prompt you to dig deeper into what you’re doing, what you’re thinking about, and how you’re making your decisions. It shouldn’t be your only source of information.

Unfortunately, I don’t really have a perfect way of telling you to sift through the garbage other than explaining what I do. First, I find lots of different sources of information. Of course, I use social media, but I also go to scientific journals, I take courses, I have multiple degrees, I read lots of books, I attend conferences, and I go to people who have many years of experience in the industry who put out quality information and who are in the trenches daily. These people have been doing it for years, documenting the results, analyzing their experiences and their programs, and then making decisions based on those analytics.

I try hard to determine what the actual training effect is going to be from any exercise or stimulus. You need at least a basic background in anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology to understand how the body might adapt to a particular stimulus, but this is very, very important. You also need to have an understanding of HOW MUCH of a stimulus is necessary in order to elicit an adaptation. We also know that our nervous system can learn new skills, but if we don’t know a little about motor learning, we may not understand exactly how to get the nervous system to learn quicker.

Yes, you actually need to understand the processes involved in adaptation. Otherwise, you’ll watch a cool looking exercise on Instagram and decide to use it just because it’s new. New might look cool, but it is not always good or useful. There may be a reason that no one has ever seen this exercise. Maybe it’s fluff.

Along with the effectiveness of a training stimulus, you have to weigh the risk vs. benefit to help determine whether it’s the right choice to include in a program. For example, when I see kids standing on stability balls or doing circus tricks, I feel like the training benefit is incredibly small while the risk is fairly high. Or, I’ll see kids stacking a bunch of plates up on top of boxes to see how high they can jump. Again, the training benefit of jumping onto a box is no greater than jumping in the air as high as you can and landing on the ground, but the risk is MUCH greater. So, I personally don’t feel like the risk outweighs the benefit.

I will also try to determine if something is economical. Basically, is this new exercise or training method worth the time an athlete will have to put into it? Does it give you a good “bang for the buck” or is the potential benefit so small that it’s basically wasting time. And, every time you choose to do an exercise, you are simultaneously deciding to NOT do every other exercise in the world. So, it better be worthwhile.

Finally, I have to decide if a particular method is right for every athlete or just for certain athletes.

I like to find multiple people or sources to discuss training so I can understand several angles. I try to take in as much as I can and keep an open mind while I’m doing it.

It is okay to change your mind. It’s certainly good to question the validity of new things, but it’s also OK to learn something new and admit that you’re either wrong or didn’t know something. Mike Boyle is one of the most respected coaches in the profession, and he has changed his mind many times. In politics, it would be called a flip-flop. In training, it’s called learning and evolving….which is good!

So, I hope you can see that this wasn’t supposed to be political at all, but the way we consume politics has many parallels to the way we have been consuming training information. I think it’s time to take a step back, slow down, and dig deeper into topics. We should have a thorough understanding of training methods before we use them with athletes. If we don’t, we are walking blindly through the forest, hoping to find a path home.

And, I think we can all agree that we can be better than anything happening in politics.

Jim Kielbaso is the President of the IYCA and owner of Impact Sports Performance in Novi, Michigan. He has authored multiple books, articles and training products and has spoken at events around the world. He holds a BS in Exercise Science, an MS in Kinesiology and has gone through multiple certifications through the IYCA, NSCA, NASM and more. Jim is a former college strength & conditioning coach and has trained thousands of athletes at every level of competition. He runs a successful NFL Combine training program in Michigan and has been hired as a consultant for major sports programs like the University of Michigan Football Program and the University of Kentucky Basketball Program.

The IYCA High School Strength & Conditioning Specialist is the only certification created specifically for coaches training high school athletes. The course includes several hours of video instruction (including a complete Olympic lifting instructor course) and two textbooks with contributions from some of the top strength and conditioning coaches in America. Click on the image below to learn more about how to become a certified high school strength & conditioning coach.

Pelvic Tilt Control for Athletes – Jim Kielbaso

Posted on: October 5th, 2020 by Sara Beth No Comments

Pelvic tilt control is something that frustrates both coaches and athletes, but it is often not addressed very thoroughly. Coaches may recognize an exaggerated arch in the lower back, but that’s just one part of the equation. The ability to control anterior and posterior pelvic tilt is critical to sprinting, squatting, hinging, and a variety of athletic movements. Many athletes struggle with these movements because they simply don’t know how to create or control pelvic tilt.

For example, when you see an athlete struggle to maintain a flat back during squatting or hinging, they may not be able to control anterior pelvic tilt. When you see an athlete sprinting with excessive lordosis, it may look like they can’t get their knees up or they have excessive backside mechanics, but this often stems from an inability to control the pelvis and maintain a neutral position.

Coaches often want to assume that these issues stem from strength or mobility issues, so we begin with stretches in an attempt to create better muscular balance. This is not wrong at all – tight muscles can create all sorts of issues – but flexibility may not be the root problem. More often than not, I’ve found that athletes simply cannot control or create anterior and posterior pelvic tilt. They don’t have the proprioception or muscular control necessary to control these motions. If he/she doesn’t know how to fire their abs, lower back, and glutes properly, they will appear to be “stuck” when asked to perform certain motions.

When this happens, I often use something I call the “Rubber Pants Full of Water” technique to teach athletes what it feels like to control anterior and posterior pelvic tilt. The following video goes into much greater detail on this technique and others I use to help teach athletes how to control this important motion:

Try the Rubber Pants Full of Water technique or the homework exercise described in the video to get athletes to begin controlling their pelvic tilt. You will find it much easier to teach common movements, and it will help them develop the ability to control their posture during any kind of movement.

If you’d like to learn more about developing athletes, the IYCA Certified Athletic Development Specialist is the industry gold-standard for youth fitness and athlete development. Click on the image below to learn more about the CADS certification program.

An Open Letter to Student-Athletes: Who Are You Without Sports? – Jill Kochanek

Posted on: May 3rd, 2020 by Sara Beth No Comments

My name is Jill, but everyone calls me Jake. No one ever called me Jake, however, until I joined the Amherst College Women’s Soccer Team. As a timid freshman, I was eager to prove myself and determined to play the sport that I love. With an upperclassman named Jill already on the team, during preseason my coaches asked me if I went by another name. I hesitated; I had always been Jill. Shortly after though, in the chaos of competition, my teammates’ commanding calls blended my initials, “J-K” into “Jake.”

In the beginning, I accepted Jake but did not fully embrace the nickname. I recall a teammate commenting that her brother’s name was Jake and another teammate telling me that her dog was named Jake. Great— I thought—there goes the cool first impression I was trying to make. Over the course of four seasons though, I would answer to Jake more than Jill on the field, in the classroom, and even at home. Eight years later, the name has stuck. My parents, siblings, old friends from Amherst and new friends extending from those Amherst ties all call me Jake.

Jake would stick with me in more ways than one: just as Jake grew on me, so did I as a player, teammate, and person. As Jake, an inexorable force outside of me but inseparably linked to me pushed me. It kept me tirelessly attacking and defending, following and leading, in formation with twenty other women in Amherst purple. As number 26, I felt that force drive me across the darkening grass—six and back, eighteen and back, half field and back, full field and back. At the end of each practice as the sun set on Hitchcock field, sweat poured down our necks leaving our bodies as we set ourselves on the line to sprint again. Nourishing the field below our tired feet, sweat was the one thing we all agreed to sacrifice. In my senior season, that sacrifice would prove worthwhile and culminate in a league championship, NCAA Elite Eight match, and a record of 20-0-1. These tangible gains were just the beginning.

On the field with my teammates, I learned how to be selfless; how to trust and be trusted; how to embrace my strengths and fearlessly confront my weaknesses; how to commit, be patient, and own my/our process: the next achievable step. I learned that what you communicate matters but “how” (you say something) given the “who” (you say something to) makes all the difference. And, I learned how important it is to control life’s controllables. My teammates challenged me to be a leader—a servant: someone who does not stop with bringing out the best in themselves but lifts others up. Inspired by their sacrifice, I grew to be a better player, teammate, and person. I grew to be Jake.

My student-athlete story seems to have a happy ending. It does. And—not but—and, it’s not without some unexpected challenge. In the last 10 minutes of our NCAA Elite Eight match against Messiah College, we were down 0-1. I was physically and mentally drained. I awkwardly, stretched out my right leg across my body to go for a loose ball. Off-balance, I tore my ACL and meniscus. I hobbled off the field and knew something was wrong but didn’t want to admit it. I didn’t want to concede. I asked our athletic trainer to try and tape my knee up to give me support and go back in. But I couldn’t walk. I was done.

Tears rushed down my cheeks and fell to the grass like the collective sweat that rushed down our necks. I wanted to be inside the lines again. I yearned to still be a part of our sacrifice. To be living the collective commitment we made to one another. To be on the field playing the game that we loved. In those final moments, I was flooded with a sense of loss.

I am fortunate to have played injury-free for most of my high school and college career. We were fortunate to have made such a deep run into the NCAA playoffs alongside teammates and coaches who I’d do anything for. In those final moments and months to follow during my recovery process I felt a range of strong emotions. I felt gratitude for my experience, for the protected time I’d have to fully recover rather than rush back to play at the start of the next season. I felt relief that my body had held out. And, I also felt loss. I felt lost.

I knew our season and my soccer career were soon coming to an end. But, I was not prepared for when it actually did. When the final whistle blew.

I share my student-athlete story with you because at some point for all of us, sports will stop. There will be a day when the final whistle blows for all of us. A day when we all play our last game, when we are—like I was—left asking: Who am I?

For all student-athletes, not just our graduating seniors, this shutdown presents us with a unique opportunity to pause. To reflect and remember: why do you love sports?

Maybe it’s the power of movement—the sense of freedom and empowerment you feel moving your body and seeing what you can do.

Maybe it’s a love of competition—of the process, of challenge, of taking risks and testing your limits, of learning new skills and game strategies.

Maybe it’s being a part of a team. Working together through adversity—making lasting friendships, building trust and having fun through all the little moments: the team dinners, bus rides, and locker room dance parties.

If it helps, we have 3 basic psychological needs as humans, the need to:

(A) feel a sense of autonomy (“I have choice, control and agency”).

(B) feel a sense of belonging (“I am valued and supported”), and

(C) feel competent (“I am capable”),

If you look down this list of “maybes”, you’ll notice that these reasons highlight all 3 of our basic needs. What we can call our ABCs—Autonomy, Belonging, and Competence. Meeting these needs supports our inner motivation and overall health and well-being.

So, what are your ABCs? Why do you play your sport/sports? Maybe you’ve got reasons outside the ABCs. Even better. The point is to take this time during the quarantine to reflect and be honest with ourselves. What’s your “why”?

During this shutdown it’s also important for student-athletes (at any age or stage) to ask: who am I without sports? It’s a both-and. Not an either-or.

You can be both an athlete/teammate/competitor and be a:

…painter

…musician

…writer

…singer

Tell me (and— coaches and parents if you’re reading this ask your student-athletes to tell YOU):

What energizes and excites you? What would get you out of bed at 5:30 AM for/to do?

What are you curious to know more about?

What do you want to spend more time doing? What do you want to try?

How do you want to connect with people?

What larger purpose do you want to serve? How do you want to contribute?

For the high school and college seniors graduating this spring, the COVID-19 shutdown has cut your season short and brought your career to an abrupt end. You are likely feeling a bitter sting: our harsh reality has replaced celebration and closure with COVID-19 restrictions. The senior year you thought you’d have, the special end-of-year events that would seamlessly, properly close this chapter of your life and open a new one may have instead been filled with uncertainty, loss, and sadness. Senior student-athletes I feel with you. And, I am here to tell you that you are not alone. Whatever emotions you are experiencing are valid and understandable. Allow yourself the time and space to acknowledge what you’re thinking and feeling. What you are going through is hard.

When you reflect on why you play and what/who you are grateful for, know that you will always carry with you your reasons for playing, valuable lessons you learned, and memories you made. It took me time after I played my last game to realize that:

My student-athlete experience was a process of discovery. Soccer was a meaningful setting that helped me discover aspects of who I am—a trusted teammate, lifelong learner, and performer who loves to commit to a big-picture vision and goal and to work the small actionable steps needed to get there. Soccer was a context that brought these aspects of “me” into focus. Soccer gave me a supportive, challenging space—and opportunity— to work towards being my best self: to embrace my inner-Jake.

I found so much meaning in, I drew so much of my self-worth from sports. And while I found so much of myself through sports, and—not but—and, I now know that sports are not ALL of me. Sports are not ALL of you.

Identity is who you are. It’s a word with a paradox at its core (Stryker, 2017). It means that two things that are not exactly the same can be substituted for one another as if they are the same.

When we say “I am a student-athlete” the “am” is like an equals sign. Your individual sense of being something, a category (e.g., student-athlete, musician) that you consider yourself belonging to. You and the category, however, are not the same exactly the same.

You are a student-athlete.

You are also more than a student-athlete.

Human beings we are weird. Don’t read the term “weird” in the negative sense: we are unique, dynamic, complex, and multi-dimensional.

Know that so many of the reasons you played sports, the lessons that you learned, memories that you made will stick with you. These are forever a part of you. Also know that your life, your identity, and your “why” do not end here. They don’t end with athletics. You might find that an activity, experience, or context fulfills you like sports do or did. You might also find that these different pursuits excite and inspire you in unique ways that sports did/do not offer you.

You have so many gifts to share with us beyond what you do on the court, field, track, diamond, and pitch. There is a whole world out there with people, place, and opportunities beyond sports to explore.

This open letter is not a “how-to”—with specific steps on what I think you should do. Only you can determine the steps that are best for you. Only you can chart your course: Be brave. Be curious. Be true to your whole self. Share that whole person with us. Your whole self is your best self, and when we know the true you, we will all be better.

My name is Jill but everyone calls me Jake; I embrace when they do and I know now that there’s so much more to Jill than Jake.

Jill Kochanek is a doctoral student at the Institute for the Study of Youth Sport at Michigan State University. She is also a high school soccer coach. As a coach-scholar, Jill is passionate about bridging the research-practice gap to make sport a more inclusive, empowering context. Her research and applied work centers on helping athletes (and coaches) take charge of their own developmental process and social progress. If you enjoyed this article, feel free to visit her youth sport coaching blog, bothandcoaching.blog, for posts that address other topics related to sport psychology and sociology and follow her on Twitter @bothandcoaching.

Autonomy: Building Relationships & Buy-In – Jared Markiewicz

Posted on: February 17th, 2020 by Sara Beth No Comments

This is Part 3 of a 3-part series on developing relationships and buy-in as a coach. All of this comes from Self Determination Theory, and Jared Markiewicz has used these exact processes to work with his staff and clients. Part 1 addresses the concept of Relatedness. Part 2 addresses the concept of Competence, and this edition addresses the concept of Autonomy. We highly encourage you read all three parts of this series and consider implementing these concepts into your coaching or business activities.

Intro

Autonomy is the ability to have or make decisions that lead to a direction.

Basically, you get an opinion that is heard regarding the direction that is taken. And since adolescent athletes have LOTS of opinions, what better way to motivate them than by listening to their opinion.

Additionally, there are levels to autonomy that we will break down simply into two categories:

1) Low control choices are simple THIS or THAT questions guiding simple task selection.

2) High control choices are more complex, necessitating a greater understanding of the variables that exist to drive a team or group towards the mission.

As it relates to motivation levels, the level of control rises as it’s recognized the individual’s motivation is more intrinsically driven.

So, how do we apply this concept to a gym full of coaches and athletes? Simply put, those wanting more autonomy need to EARN THE RIGHT (ETR).

Stated over and over again in this series, “Earn The Right,” gives the person looking for motivation a reason to stay engaged. The more they push to get better, the more they will receive feedback demonstrating your confidence in them.

The end result, they are more in control of their path to achieving greatness than most anyone has offered them before. And you get to be the one providing it to them!

Coach to Staff

When issues or new opportunities arise, they are great times to utilize your team, give them their first amendment rights and often come up with great ideas or solutions.

But to do so, you as the leader need to establish some firm guidelines.

To explain this, let’s compare the process to creating a beautiful house.

The first step to building a beautiful home is laying a solid foundation so it lasts a long time.

In your gym, that is simply your mission or value statement and your core values.

Then a house needs a frame, something it can stand on and can handle most anything you add to it without collapsing over. It’s unlikely to be noticed unless it’s a problem but people are drawn to certain layouts over others.

In your gym, that is the training environment: the actual organization, structure and feel of your facility.

Once you have those pieces in place, your staff understands enough to get involved in the process of how to complete the house and make it incredible.

So when an issue arises or an opportunity presents itself, your team has the tools to weigh in on a solution and be a part of the process.

You as the leader are no longer expected to have all the answers. More importantly, the solution will likely be one with far more insight than if you sat in your office staring at the wall struggling for hours on end.

But insight doesn’t mean perfection. Mistakes are likely to happen. It can be difficult for a business owner to shoulder the mistakes of his staff and not want to step in to just do the job right. That is NOT delegating.

Action Step: offer low control choices for your staff members to allow them to build confidence and truly take ownership in their role on your team. If they make mistakes early, it shouldn’t be devastating to your business.

And, if your approach is slow but consistent, the long-term result will be a collaborative think tank of ideas and solutions by your highly motivated staff members.

Coach to Athletes

Picture this: you are first learning how to bowl.

One coach says, “to bowl well you must take 5 steps, hold the ball in your right hand exactly and cross your right leg behind you after you toss the ball.”

A different coach says, “I’m going to show you a number of ways to get a bowling ball down the lane effectively and then I want you to choose one and try it yourself.”

Which coach do you want? Or, which coach do you want for your child?

Giving athletes choices with constraints allows them to explore, feel empowered and still maintain a safe and effective path to higher performance levels. It’s all about autonomy with constraints.

Choices in a training session can be provided at a young training age as long as the constraints are narrow.

For a new athlete to your program, a simple question of, “did that feel hard OR easy,” will be enough to help you gauge their abilities/attitude while allowing them to be involved in the process. It’s a choice no matter how minuscule it might seem.

As they Earn The Right, the conversation can evolve towards the actual program makeup, recovery from training/practice/competition and optimization of their training cycles.

Providing choices has also highlighted an unexpected outcome for some of our athletes.

Occasionally we come across the “problem athlete.” We have all coached this boy or girl. They struggle with the standards of a school curriculum and a, “do this or else,” approach doesn’t jive with them.

We have found athletes like this thrive when given choices and a say in what goes on. They don’t always get what they want, but the fact that they have a voice and we acknowledge it makes for an adherent and driven athlete.

Action Step: Start giving choices to your athletes during warm ups, as they go through their ramp up sets or in the conditioning portion or play portion of the training session. Areas that will be minimally affected by options and are unlikely to cause you stress about them not doing the right thing (because we all know we will!)

We have the ability to improve the processing and learning of our athletes while instilling confidence through choices; so let’s do it!

Staff to Athlete

It’s your job to create structure for your staff to best coach the athletes they work with.

Therefore, it’s time for your coaches to better manage their groups by implementing the Earn The Right mentality with their athletes.

When they provide athletes some control over the direction of their training, it can generate authentic leadership within the team or group.

It all comes down to questions. This is probably the most difficult systematically speaking. You need to teach your staff not only how to ask quality questions but also how to listen and respond accordingly.

To make it simple and gain traction for your staff with their athletes, they can use the image of a dangling a carrot in front of a horse.

At the beginning of the session, ask the athletes this, “we have 5 minutes at the end of the session that I want to leave open to you to decide how we use it. We can either foam roll or play a game. Tell me your decision and if we are efficient, we can possibly have 10 minutes for Spiky ball hoops (crowd favorite at FIT).

Not only will you get more efficient work done but also you will start to have athletes step up and shepherd the flock when someone is getting off track.

Action Step: Have your coaches ask the athletes what they want. Then provide them an opportunity to earn it without making it a guarantee.

When you create a system for choices with constraints by simply asking questions, it can breed leadership and buy in like no other.

And what leader doesn’t want a staff that has efficient training sessions full of motivated athletes, stepping up as leaders.

It’s a win/win/win!

Wrap Up

As leaders, we all aspire to a weight room culture of massively bought in athletes and coaches.

But, your motivation and passion isn’t enough. You have to put the effort in to learn what drives your team and your athletes.

When you lay down a foundation based on a well-researched model like the Self Determination Theory, you can then build your own creative structure on top! Then the process can be fun and inclusive.

And when you set expectations for your staff and your athletes that ownership isn’t given but EARNED, you are on your way to massive buy in from everyone involved.

Jared Markiewicz is the founder and CEO of Functional Integrated Training, in Madison, WI. Jared has worked with a wide array of athletes including middle schoolers, collegiate and professional athletes, as well as adults – all looking to find the best version of themselves. He sits on the IYCA Advisory Board, has gone through many IYCA certifications, and is a regular contributor and speaker for the IYCA.

Jared holds a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise and Movement Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He’s also a Certified Personal Trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM-CPT), an Advanced Sport Performance Coach through USA Weightlifting, a Level 2 Functional Movement Screen Specialist, a Precision Nutrition Level 1 Coach (PN1) and a golf fitness instructor through Titleist Performance Institute.

If you want to be better at coaching young athletes, the IYCA Youth Fitness Specialist certification is the industry gold-standard for youth fitness and sports performance. Click on the image below to learn more about the YFS1 certification program.

Beginners Guide to the Hip Hinge – Brett Klika

Posted on: December 18th, 2019 by Sara Beth No Comments

The hip hinge.

While this is one of the more foundational movement patterns for young athletes to learn for both the field and weight room, it’s often one of the hardest to introduce.

The fact is, young athletes naturally hip hinge during horizontal jumps and other movements with a horizontal component. It’s when we break down the movement and make it a conscious pursuit that kids struggle.

Struggling with this myself for many years, I developed a step-by-step series to help athletes as young as 6 years old develop the basic foundations of a really good hip hinge.

Step 1: Sensory Prep

Doing any athletic movement correctly requires a working knowledge of the parts of the body and what these body parts can do. As coaches, we call this “body awareness” and this ability is necessary for our athletes to respond effectively to our coaching cues.

It’s easy to make the mistake (like I did) in assuming that the kids we work with are well versed in body awareness. While they have the basic ability, it’s not sharp and refined when they are young.

To remedy this, I started to integrate the basic movement cues of the hip hinge and other movements into “Simon says” type of warm-ups and games. These would be introduced during warm-ups and games independently of teaching the hip hinge.

For example:

Feet inside/outside/shoulder width
Weight on toes/heels/midfoot
Knees locked/bent/soft
Hips forward/ back
Chest down/ up
Back rounded/straight

Notice the pairing of contrasting movement. This helps the athlete develop a proprioceptive “3-d model” of space and body orientation in their head before it’s put into the context of a single coordinated movement like the hip hinge. With these coordination pathways now wired, coaching cues for a movement become easier to understand and execute when it comes to teaching a specific skill.

Step 2: Practice the Gross Movement

Play is a great teacher, so I found that before I would introduce the specifics of any movement, I would introduce games and other activities that would create the movement naturally. For example, activities like broad jumps require kids to hinge their hips horizontally back in order to get more distance.

Even simple horizontal “reaching” activities like found in the video below offer a great introduction to the hinge.

Over/ Under Wall Touches

Step 3: Learn to Move the Hips Horizontally

When it comes to teaching the specifics of the hip hinge and other movements, I’ve found that breaking the movement into various components and introducing/reinforcing each individually is much more palatable for young athletes. I also found it’s important to be patient and spend as much time with each component as necessary.

For example, the first step in teaching the hip hinge is to have the young athlete consciously move their hips horizontally back. For a single training session, week, or even cycle, the next step shouldn’t be introduced or coached until they mastered this.

While other components of the hinge will be demonstrated and likely executed to a degree, the focus of coaching cues, drills, and activities should be moving the hips back horizontally. I’ve found most young athletes can master this pretty quickly with activities like those below.

3 Cone Reach

Hips to Wall

Step 4: Keep the Knees Soft

Once an athlete can consciously move their hips back horizontally on cue, the focus then goes to controlling the knee angle. For weight room movements involving the hip hinge, it’s important for kids to understand the “soft knees” concept. Kids generally default to completely locked knees or full positive- shin- angle squats. I’ve found that teaching kids to understand and control knee angle helps set up the mechanics of the rest of the hip hinge movement.

The concept of “soft knees” is best introduced during sensory prep activities where they experience the immediate contrast between knees that are bent, locked, and soft. This can be reinforced during activities similar to the ones for step 3. For “3-Cone-Reach” instead of a cone on the ground, have them reach towards head-hi points on a wall while hinging their hips back.

Step 5: Keep the Chest Up

While most young athletes will master the previous steps fairly quickly, this is where things slow down. Young athletes’ lumbar and thoracic extensor muscles are generally pretty deconditioned.

Days spent in classrooms slumped over desks and hours spent hunched over electronics weaken this aspect of the posterior chain. As they hinge their hips back keeping their knees soft, their lumbar and thoracic spine will often flex forward. It’s like as humans, we’re always trying to get back to the fetal position.

Before reinforcing this specific aspect of the hip hinge, it’s important to make sure the extensor muscles of the trunk and posterior chain are adequately strong. This can be done with activities like those below.

T-Bird

Bird Dog

After these, the drill below has worked well for teaching proper thoracic extension for both the squat and hip hinge.

Elbow Knee Squat

Once young athletes master these components of the hip hinge, they are ready to learn the more advanced/refined versions. It’s important to note that perfect movement is not the daily goal. Helping young athletes to develop better movement over time while maximizing fun and minimizing frustration is. In the latter, we increase athlete buy-in, engrain long term movement patterns, and increase the likelihood that our athletes will become active and athletic for life.