How to Use Positive Coaching in Youth Sports For Learning and Growth

Duane Wardell

Introduction With a career in information technology spanning three

decades, Duane Wardell has worked with various well-regarded institutions in the setup and upkeep of computer databases, including work as a consultant for the Memorial Hermann Healthcare System located in Houston, Texas. Outside of creating and implementing high-end software, Duane Wardell continues helping others by serving as a youth basketball coach. 

There is a variety of tips that youth sports coaches can use to help create a fun, informative, and rewarding season for young athletes. For one, going through a training process can provide coaches with the mindset and tools needed to understand how a child develops and to devise age-appropriate coaching that encourages fun, learning, and character development.

Positive Coaching Next, using positive reinforcement when

working with children is an excellent way to bring out their joy for sports and motivate them to stay in the game. Yelling and berating will have the opposite effect on children and can demoralize them and leave them feeling anxious and nervous. Finally, along with positive reinforcement, encouraging children to focus on the variables in a game or related to a game that they can control can help to develop resilience, a life lesson that can be learned on the field or court and applied anywhere.