7 Fundamentals
Reinforce the Positives
Keeping sports fun for kids should be the goal of all youth coaches. Constantly being criticized at anything
will take all the fun out of it. It is important to give children clear and honest feedback, but as youth coaches
how we go about that is very important. Created directly from research that looked at how athletes
responded to coaching techniques, PCA has created the term Filling the Emotional Tank. A coach who
uses these techniques understands that giving clear and specific, positive feedback will fill the player's
emotional tank, which will then allow the child to better hear and benefit from the corrective feedback. PCA
recommends a 5:1 ratio for feedback. Try to give feedback on things the player is doing well or in which he
or she is improving five times for every one piece of critical feedback. Think about how many things a
softball player has to do right to hit the ball out of the infield. Instead of just constantly criticizing the one or
two things the player is not doing right, make sure you are pointing out all the things the player has
mastered.
Reinforcing the positive also has a great effect on creating players who are willing to take risk. It helps
them to see that mistakes are a natural part of the game and of mastering the skill. Your reinforcing the
positive creates a role model for players to see their teammates in this light. Teammates who can make
room for each other to make mistakes will support each other and create an atmosphere that encourages
risk and is fun to be a part of.
Reinforcing the positive does not simply mean saying "nice job." That’s a good start, but specific
comments that describe the behavior you are seeing will have the most impact. The praise should also be
earned and deserved. Empty praise can do more harm than good and kids may start to doubt their own
self worth. Darrell Burnett, Ph.D., in his book It's Just a Game, Youth Sports and Self Esteem, points out
that children will filter out praise that does not fit their own self image. The praise needs to be specific,
honest and clear. One way to achieve this is to tell them exactly what you want to see them do and then
reinforce that positive behavior when you see it.
The PCA recommends using a chart to write down the positive plays you see during a game. This creates
a great wrap up tool. Quick notes to yourself on Susan making the run to back up third base, or Sam
quickly getting back on defense after having the ball stolen, or John not arguing with the referee when he
did not like the call, will give you a great tool to use either right after the game or at the beginning of the next
practice. Write down things in advance that you worked on in practice and make a quick note when you see
it. Have categories for effort, teamwork, and sportsmanship and jot a quick note when you see those skills
demonstrated. Specific praise of the efforts you see from your players in the game will help them and you
remember that in victory or in defeat the focus is on the process of mastering skills and giving your best
effort, not the outcome.
Keeping sports fun for kids should be the goal of all youth coaches. Constantly being criticized at anything
will take all the fun out of it. It is important to give children clear and honest feedback, but as youth coaches
how we go about that is very important. Created directly from research that looked at how athletes
responded to coaching techniques, PCA has created the term Filling the Emotional Tank. A coach who
uses these techniques understands that giving clear and specific, positive feedback will fill the player's
emotional tank, which will then allow the child to better hear and benefit from the corrective feedback. PCA
recommends a 5:1 ratio for feedback. Try to give feedback on things the player is doing well or in which he
or she is improving five times for every one piece of critical feedback. Think about how many things a
softball player has to do right to hit the ball out of the infield. Instead of just constantly criticizing the one or
two things the player is not doing right, make sure you are pointing out all the things the player has
mastered.
Reinforcing the positive also has a great effect on creating players who are willing to take risk. It helps
them to see that mistakes are a natural part of the game and of mastering the skill. Your reinforcing the
positive creates a role model for players to see their teammates in this light. Teammates who can make
room for each other to make mistakes will support each other and create an atmosphere that encourages
risk and is fun to be a part of.
Reinforcing the positive does not simply mean saying "nice job." That’s a good start, but specific
comments that describe the behavior you are seeing will have the most impact. The praise should also be
earned and deserved. Empty praise can do more harm than good and kids may start to doubt their own
self worth. Darrell Burnett, Ph.D., in his book It's Just a Game, Youth Sports and Self Esteem, points out
that children will filter out praise that does not fit their own self image. The praise needs to be specific,
honest and clear. One way to achieve this is to tell them exactly what you want to see them do and then
reinforce that positive behavior when you see it.
- “I told you that to learn to catch you really need to watch the ball. I saw you really watching it into
your glove that time and you came much closer to catching it. Keep that up and I know you will
master this.”
“I asked you to not run through the middle of the drill and I like the way that you consistently come
around the cones now.”
“We talk a lot about being a good teammate on this team. I saw you comfort John after that goal
was scored. That showed terrific sportsmanship. He is lucky to have you as a teammate.”
The PCA recommends using a chart to write down the positive plays you see during a game. This creates
a great wrap up tool. Quick notes to yourself on Susan making the run to back up third base, or Sam
quickly getting back on defense after having the ball stolen, or John not arguing with the referee when he
did not like the call, will give you a great tool to use either right after the game or at the beginning of the next
practice. Write down things in advance that you worked on in practice and make a quick note when you see
it. Have categories for effort, teamwork, and sportsmanship and jot a quick note when you see those skills
demonstrated. Specific praise of the efforts you see from your players in the game will help them and you
remember that in victory or in defeat the focus is on the process of mastering skills and giving your best
effort, not the outcome.
Tip: Stop telling them
what not to do and start
telling then what to do.
what not to do and start
telling then what to do.
Tip: Remember, its effort
at this age, not outcome.
at this age, not outcome.
... let's not forget that.
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Key Fundamentals