Meeting Athletes Where They Are with a Holistic Approach to Youth Coaching [Podcast Series]

• [:55] Dr. Bantham introduces her guest, Dr. Hadiya Green

  • Dr. Hadiya Green is Founder and President of Healthy Healing Community, former Senior Practice Specialist for the American Physical Therapy Association, and former President-elect of the Physical Activity Alliance.  

  • She is also a long-time youth coach. 

• [1:19] Beginnings of youth coaching

  • “And I really think that I would say my beginnings of youth coaching have genuinely started as an athlete and having great coaches, because I really think that's the foundation from which I have been able to peer coach as well as when I became an adult myself starting to coach now over 20, 25 years.”

• [2:16] Great coaches

  • “But for me, the coaches who I adore the most and I find are great coaches are the ones who can take someone and take them to the next level. They can adjust their plan and still attain that goal at the end of a person's personal best, in addition to what may contribute to the team. And so I think, an attention to detail, an ability to gauge and meet an athlete where they're at, the ability to understand what an athlete brings to the table both physically and mentally…”

• [4:21] Meeting athletes where they are 

  • “[P]eople aren't the worst things that they do. And that goes for our athletes, too. They have moments. But we can grow from them.”

• [7:59] Being your best athlete

  • “And so can everyone be an athlete? I think everyone can be their best athlete. Yes, absolutely.”

• [9:33] Benefits of youth sports

  • “There are so many benefits to participating in sports that lend itself beneficial to absolutely any and every youth. And that's everything from being less likely to engage in activities that would be harmful, being more likely to be, if you're a female leader, there is a very high percentage of women who are in CEO or positions of leadership, who actually participated in a sport at some point in their lifetime. And just on a mental and physiological level, there are a lot of children who actually need physical activity.”

• [13:02] Tips for good coaching

  • “That's probably one of the number one tips I would give a coach is to read the room. Yes, you may have your plan of action and yes, you might have it out for the entire season. But you, adaptability and meeting your kids where they're at is so necessary…”

• [21:02] Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth sports participation 

  • “So one of the first things that was of concern from a provider standpoint—and these children have literally been inactive and we know that muscles atrophy four times as fast as you can build them. So you put these kids back into school or sports or a club once we're finally able to for those who do have some access. And then you're going to be dealing with injuries from lack of foundational training because you're going so fast to try to catch up…”