Changing the Culture of Youth Sports with Positive Coaching Experiences [Podcast Series]

Jason Sacks is President at Positive Coaching Alliance.
He is a long time coach who has been in the youth sports space for almost two decades.

“But we believe that it has to be sports done right. You need to be deliberate with how youth sports is done in order for kids to take advantage of all the positive benefits that it has to offer. Because we know that if we are not deliberate and it's not done right, then youth sports can actually be a breeding ground for a lot of negative things like abuse of many different kinds. And it lends kids to drop out early, and then we lose out on the opportunity that youth sports provides.”

“I think the system of youth sports right now, it's a $30 billion industry. Our rush to get kids to travel, you know, quote unquote, elite programs quicker, I think, is actually taking the fun out of the sports, it's putting more pressure on them. It's forcing them to specialize or play multiple sports within the same season.”

“And so I think we need to get organizations to understand and then more specifically, to be able to hold their coaches accountable of what is this culture that you want to create that's going to provide the best possible environment for kids. And in order for kids to feel connected, they need to feel safe, they need to feel seen, heard and valued when they come to that, that practice, that game, whatever it might be.”

“[W]hen you set those effort-based goals, it gives you more opportunities as a coach to provide positive feedback to the kids, right? And that's going to, again, keep their emotional tanks full, it's gonna want them to continue to play, they're having more enjoyable experience, and then they're open to learning more as well.”

“[W]hat can we be doing as coaches to get them a lot of reps, to get them a lot of action, so that they want to stay playing the game because to your point, that is, we are setting a foundation of how we want them to think about physical literacy and the way that they're living their life.”

“I think that's the good news, that people see the value of youth sports. It's everywhere. It's where communities gather on the weekends and at night, like, that is a good thing. I think it can turn into something that is like not so great, if used in the wrong way. I think the other good thing is that people are starting to see youth sports as a platform for positive youth development.”

“I think creating environments where, again, going back to the beginning of the podcast, creating environments that are welcoming, where kids feel connection. Who their coach is and what their coach looks like, plays a huge role in that.”

“And so when we think about the opportunity that adults have, and their actions dictate so much of whether or not a child stays involved in sports. That's a really important job that we have as adults to make sure that this youth sports experience is so positive because, sure, there's a lot of great things that can happen within that season. But really, this is setting up those kids for success down the road.”

“As a parent, take a look at where you put the most emphasis. And then the next time you're out on the sideline, are you cheering for what you hold most important? Or are you saying you know what, winning and results aren't that important. But then the only time you're cheering is when they score a goal or they score a basket, right? If you say, I just want them to have fun and physical fitness and meet friends, then are we recognizing and cheering for that?”

Spreading Awareness of How Motion Impacts Emotion [Podcast Series]