- Home
- What is the purpose of this website?
- Development of confidence theories
- Taking Action
- Theories Blogs
- Forum
- Suggested Reading
- About
- Contact
- Bibliography
“A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are.” - Ara Parasheghian
Photo credit: MLBlogs Network
What athlete did you emulate when you were growing up? I suppose it depends on the sport. If you followed all of them, maybe you chose one from each to pretend to be when you played the game. I used to pretend to be Pete Rose because I liked his hustle- I guess that's why they called him 'Charlie Hustle'.
Photo credit: iStockphoto
As kids, we all had dreams of being like our favorite players. Our future involvement as professional athletes was predicated on the expectations that we would improve enough to get to that point, and maybe develop a signature move that would confound the world! For most of us, that future didn't materialize. But, as coaches, we are in a unique position to help our athletes along the same journey regardless of how unlikely it is that any of them will make it to the professional ranks. So, in focusing on their development, in lieu of the typically narrow definition of success- winning, we are better able to help them get closer to realizing their athletic dreams.
This website is designed to be a tool for any adult involved in youth sports; anyone who has the opportunity to impact a youth athlete's development. Specifically, the focus is in fostering the perception of competence, or confidence, within the athletes as they grow and develop, both as athletes, as well as human beings.
Youth sports can be an incredibly rewarding activity for both coach and athlete. As a coach, or even as a parent assisting a coach, there are many reasons why you've found yourself in this role. Like anything else, there are good reasons and bad reasons. But, regardless of why you're doing it, you are, and, you have a job to do; help the athletes on your team get better at their skills and have fun doing it.
Unfortunately, there are always times when the athletes just do not seem to be improving no matter how many drills you make them do. Frustration sets in for both coach and athlete alike.
I believe that far too often, a cause of this struggle is that coaches are looking to win right now. Winning is fun, winning feels good, and winning makes people happy, except those who lost to you, of course. But, is winning right now the most appropriate construct for the children you're coaching based on their developmental needs?
More specifically, are you pulling your hair out wondering why your athletes seem so timid during play? Do they seem not to be making any kind of breakthroughs in their abilities? Does it seem that they are better in practice than in game situations? There can be many reasons why these problems may be occurring. One reason may be a sense of doubt about the athlete's ability to perform the requisite movements properly or executing strategy at the appropriate moment. These questions relate to issues independent of wins and losses. In fact, these problems usually lead to losses. So what do you do?
Knowing what to do to help youth athletes may seem like a daunting task. Also, because every child is different, what may work for one may not work for another. Some of it is trial and error. But, if you watch children closely, and you understand developmental principles, employing various strategies becomes less about trial and error, and more about recognizing what will guide your athlete to perform optimally while keeping the sport experience fun and rewarding.
Having worked with and watched children develop athletic abilities for many years, I have found that it is important to recognize how the children perceive their ability to appropriately perform in the game in which they are playing. This perception can have a profound impact upon their sense of self-worth in either a positive or a negative way (Harter, 1982).
Confidence
The Random House Webster’s College Dictionary (1992) defines confidence as: belief in oneself and one’s powers or abilities; self-confidence; self-reliance; assurance.
That being said, the term confidence is rarely used in sport psychology literature. The preferred term is perceived competence.
Some questions to ask:
I believe this website will answer these questions based upon available research as well as provide useful ideas on integrating strategies to generate perceived competence, particularly in youth athletes.
This website is designed to be a tool for any adult involved in youth sports; anyone who has the opportunity to impact a youth athlete's development. Specifically, the focus is in fostering the perception of competence, or confidence, within the athletes as they grow and develop, both as athletes, as well as human beings.
Youth sports can be an incredibly rewarding activity for both coach and athlete. As a coach, or even as a parent assisting a coach, there are many reasons why you've found yourself in this role. Like anything else, there are good reasons and bad reasons. But, regardless of why you're doing it, you are, and, you have a job to do; help the athletes on your team get better at their skills and have fun doing it.
Unfortunately, there are always times when the athletes just do not seem to be improving no matter how many drills you make them do. Frustration sets in for both coach and athlete alike.
I believe that far too often, a cause of this struggle is that coaches are looking to win right now. Winning is fun, winning feels good, and winning makes people happy, except those who lost to you, of course. But, is winning right now the most appropriate construct for the children you're coaching based on their developmental needs?
More specifically, are you pulling your hair out wondering why your athletes seem so timid during play? Do they seem not to be making any kind of breakthroughs in their abilities? Does it seem that they are better in practice than in game situations? There can be many reasons why these problems may be occurring. One reason may be a sense of doubt about the athlete's ability to perform the requisite movements properly or executing strategy at the appropriate moment. These questions relate to issues independent of wins and losses. In fact, these problems usually lead to losses. So what do you do?
Knowing what to do to help youth athletes may seem like a daunting task. Also, because every child is different, what may work for one may not work for another. Some of it is trial and error. But, if you watch children closely, and you understand developmental principles, employing various strategies becomes less about trial and error, and more about recognizing what will guide your athlete to perform optimally while keeping the sport experience fun and rewarding.
Having worked with and watched children develop athletic abilities for many years, I have found that it is important to recognize how the children perceive their ability to appropriately perform in the game in which they are playing. This perception can have a profound impact upon their sense of self-worth in either a positive or a negative way (Harter, 1982).
Confidence
The Random House Webster’s College Dictionary (1992) defines confidence as: belief in oneself and one’s powers or abilities; self-confidence; self-reliance; assurance.
That being said, the term confidence is rarely used in sport psychology literature. The preferred term is perceived competence.
Some questions to ask:
- From where does perceived competence come?
- Can perceived competence be developed?
- Does perceived competence affect everything kids do in the same way and at the same time?
- Does perceived competence change?
I believe this website will answer these questions based upon available research as well as provide useful ideas on integrating strategies to generate perceived competence, particularly in youth athletes.