Archive for “Human Beings” Tag

Top 3 Speed & Agility With Young Athletes Mistakes – Part 2

Posted on: July 14th, 2010 by IYCA No Comments

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Speed & Agility With Young Athletes

It is very standard for Coaches and Training Facilities to both expect and ‘sell’ parents on the fact that the young athletes in their care will become decidedly better in only 6 or 8 weeks’ worth of training.

And in fact, they’re correct in saying so.

But not because their training system is somehow superior or because they possess unique talents as a Coach, quite simply, it’s because human beings are adaptive machines that alter (become better) under the strain of applied demand (training).

This is especially true for young people in the age bracket of 6 – 18. This time of life represents a literal coming of age with respect to maturation and athletic ability. The Central Nervous System is learning to master the art of movement, bones are growing more dense and muscles are becoming naturally longer and more powerful.

You could, quite literally, ask a 15 year old soccer player to run stairs 3 times per week for 6 weeks and show improvements to both their speed and power output capacity. That doesn’t mean running stairs is an efficient training style, it just means that the human body is designed to accommodate the stress it is placed under by getting faster and stronger.

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Setting Goals and Expectations for Young Athletes

Posted on: July 28th, 2009 by IYCA 4 Comments

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Young Athletes Goals

The Pygmalion Effect can either elevate a workers productivity or entirely undermine it. For instance, workers who receive continuous verbal praise for their efforts, while being supported by non-verbal means, will aspire and ascend to even more productivity. In contrast, if a worker receives less praise or even communication from management than their peers or co-workers, although nothing is being conveyed verbally, the worker feels as though they are under-appreciated and will see a lapse or decrease in productivity.

Livingston substantiated this point –

“If he (the manager) is unskilled, he leaves scars on the careers of the young men and women, cuts deeply into their self-esteem and distorts their image of themselves as human beings. But if he is skillful and has high expectations of his subordinates, their self-confidence will grow, their capabilities will develop and their productivity will be high. More often than he realizes, the manager is Pygmalion”

Now, apply these realities to the world of youth sports and coaching young athletes.

If inappropriate managerial skills, in the form of limited positive affirmations or feedback, can effect an adult to the degree that they will have "scars… cuts deeply into their self-esteem and distorts their image of themselves as human beings", what do you think happens to children under the pressure of inappropriate coaching?

In understanding the relevancy and practicality of the Pygmalion Effect, answer these questions for yourself:

Why doesn’t a "one size fits all" coaching approach work?

Do coaches treat all of their young athletes the same, or do they every so subtly play favorites?

What would happen to the ability and self-esteem of young athletes if their coaches and parents demonstrated great pride in their efforts and positively voiced a level of expectation, based entirely on the notion that the coach "knows" the young athlete could achieve this?

Should we make our young athletes more concerned about the results of a game or training session, or spend our energy with heaping positive praise and expectation on them because we know that they are capable of anything?

Here is a list of Pygmalion-based coaching strategies for you to use with your young athletes:

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IYCA wants to provide

Posted on: April 15th, 2009 by IYCA 12 Comments

Is the IYCA doing what you need?

Every single day of every single week, I receive emails from all over the world.

And it’s the most amazing thing I have ever experienced.

I mean, I was raised in Toronto, Canada by a little redheaded Irish Mom with a big temper (who I love dearly) and a crusty Italian Dad with the best "don’t screw with me" stare you have ever seen (who I rank as one of the greatest human beings on the planet).

I had two older brothers who took turns beating me up, and a dog named Tiger (named affectionately after me – my nickname when I was very young was Tiger apparently due to some kind of rambunctious energy I possessed… a fact I summarily deny by the way).

My point is that I was raised by common folks and in a common way.

I never had any sort of inkling when I was young, that I would grow up to become someone that every single parent, coach and trainer in the youth sports world would know and come to trust.

But that is exactly what has happened.

And my "inbox" counter is proof of that fact.

Every single morning, there are no fewer than 50 – 200 emails waiting for me.

50 – 200 emails multiplied by 365 days…

… You do the math!

More often than not, the emails are a simple message of ‘thanks’ from grateful Moms, Dads, coaches and trainers, all of whom want to send their regards for the information I offered them in my last week’s newsletter.

Other times, the emails are long and excited rambles from folks who just purchased one of our training products and are beside themselves at how much they learned about how to make their young athletes faster, stronger or better overall athletes.

In both cases, I get tickled pink!

I say all that because my strongest desire is to see that all young athletes are trained and cared for in the best way possible – so that they can both maximize their performance and remain safe and healthy in the process.

And that’s why I sit at my computer every morning and blush.

Because so many people, all over the world, decide to take the time to tell me exactly what my information has meant to them.

If you are one of the people who have written me a message of thanks, let me take this opportunity to reciprocate by thanking you for doing so.

It meant the world to me.

If you haven’t yet emailed me your thoughts, maybe you wouldn’t mind doing so now.

I want to make sure that all the information we provide you is actually working to making your life easier.

So tell me what you think.

Good or bad.

Are we giving you what you need, or do you need something else?

I want to know… and I want you to tell me.

Scroll down and let me know….

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