Coaching Kids

Throughout my time I have seen some good coaches and some bad coaches.  Most of the time when you come across a bad coach it is due to a lack of one or more of the following:

• Thinking that their way is the only way.
• A refusal to listen to their players
• Win at all cost attitude
• No understanding of age-appropriate development issues
• Screaming, degrading and demanding to much

You see, coaching isn’t just about teaching a kid how to kick or throw a ball; it’s encompasses so much more.  As a coach it is your responsibility to understand the stages of athletic development that children go through.  Each child evolves at a different rate physically and mentally, thus dictating their performance capabilities.  If you expect to much, constantly scream and yell or physically demand players to perform at levels they are not capable of; then the only result you will achieve is failure.  In his book, “Total Training for Young Champions,” Tudor Bompa, PhD describes the different stages of athletic development as:

Initiation Stage (6-10 years): Coaches should develop low intensity training programs that emphasize fun, focus on the overall athletic development and steer clear of sport-specific performance.  

Athletic Formation (11-14 years): At this stage, the focus should progress to developing motor skills, fundamental tactics, strategies, and sportsmanship in a variety of fun competitive environments.

Specialization (15-18 years): Here the most significant stages of an athletes training take place.   Coaches should provide players with a program that incorporates multilateral development and sport specific skills and drills that allow young athletes to begin to focus on their sport of choice.  

Now I know some of you coaches out there are saying, “you don’t know what your talking about.  I have a system and my system has always worked.” The only thing I can do is refer you to the bullet points above and stress the importance of educating yourself in the art of coaching and understanding children.  More than likely you’re losing players at a fast rate, because they have not attained athletic maturation. Your expectations are too high and you have put too much pressure on your athletes.  Our job as coaches is to develop players, not chase them away.  Take the time to learn and understand and you too will be developing champions on and off the field.