70% of kids QUIT organized sports by the age of 13 Goals & Purpose 70% of kids QUIT organized sports by the age of 13 #1 Reason Why Kids Quit?

Why Do Kids Quit Sports Surface Reasons 1. NOT FUN 2. Not as good as I wanted to be 3. Didn’t like the pressure 4. Training was too hard / took too much time 5. A change in interest Deeper Reasons 1. FOCUS ON THE OUTCOME - Parents and Coaches 2. Experienced a lot of stress - Parents and Coaches 3. Low perceived competence – Parents and Coaches and Teammates

Are things different today? Some information from Dr. Greg Davis – Duke University "The young people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for parents or old age. They are impatient of all restraint. They talk as if they alone knew everything and what passes for wisdom with us is foolishness with them.

The more times change the more they stay the same! Who WROTE that? Socrates in 399 B.C. The more times change the more they stay the same!

What are kids like these days… What they are seeing at Duke… Reliance on Parents – can’t make own decisions until forced into adulthood in college. Adults have enabled – allow them their freedom with little discipline Artificial maturity – overexposed to info- under exposed to real life situations Ambiguous about the future - feel it will be taken care of for them Self Absorbed – it has to be about them or their friends before they care Postponed maturation – slow to learn to be an adult - 30’s ?

What do kids want today… Their world is … * Speed – Convenience – Entertainment – Entitlement So they have a sense that… * Slow is Bad – Hard is Bad – Bored is Bad – Discipline is Bad How can you tap into this to gain enthusiasm and trust from your players! Pace – Practice and Game Positive Reinforcement can form Credibility / Confidence – Can they believe in you? Confidence is the greatest enhancement drug!

Positive Coaches Alliance (PCA) Tagline is “Better Athletes . Better People” Teach Life Lessons along with the Game. Understand that you have an opportunity to make a difference This may the best that player feels all day long!

ROOTS OF Youth Athletics … What are the ROOTS ? That need to be Respected in Youth Athletics! Rules Officials Opponents Teammates Self To Honor The Game – is to Respect these areas of the game.

Rules are there for a Reason What does it mean to Honor the Game – when referring to RULES ? What have you come across - how did your team feel ? What can be done in cases where it is recognized that there is cheating ? What is the Life Lesson to be taken from this step ?

Officials “Without Refs or Umps it would only be a scrimmage” ! We are the example of how the game will be Officiated. What are our reactions! When we take on every call or complain on everything that doesn’t go our way – we are portraying a losing attitude. How can that affect your team? In our InHouse program – the young boys and girls that are doing the job are training on the job. For about 40% OF THEM IT IS THEIR FIRST YEAR. Only about 30% of those come back for future years. Why? WE NEED TO KEEP ACKNOWLEDGING OFFICIALS IN A POSITIVE MODE!

Opponents Our Opponent is a test for our ability to handle Winning / Losing/ Adversity and Emotion. The better or more equal the opponent the better our opportunity to show our talent. Give them the respect they deserve – but gain their respect between the lines.

Teammates Duke spends much of the off-season and review often in-season on 1. How to Treat Teammates – 2. How they Approach Practice as a team– 3. Social – How they support each other and team- What does it mean to be a TEAMMATE?

SELF Without belief in yourself – there is little achieved! Preparing for the day / practice / game What are you doing before to be ready … Mentally and Physically Sleep - Nutrition – Fitness – Skill Development – Practice Be Great !

WHO ARE YOU COACHING ? Hold a Parent Meeting at start of season (after or before 1st or 2nd practice) Make sure you are open to what your expectations are and ask parents if they have questions. Have you ever done a ONE on ONE with every player ? -This can be very valuable and especially help those players that may be borderline in talent or attention, give them purpose to be there and be better players for themselves and team! Create that open line of Communication. Over Communicate!

ROOTS of the Game! ELM EFFORT - Only thing Players can control in a game. A Coach can not control their effort, it has to come from within. Do they want to give that effort for themselves / teammates / Coaches / other? LEARNING – Players need to Learn to be better players. Without the effort to Learn they will only get to where talent takes them. Must have the will to Learn – You have to Teach! MISTAKES – Then happen to the best players / coaches. Learn from them and proceed. Encouraging their best effort. Next Play …

Turn Errors into Teaching moments… Try not to use the word ‘Don’t’, instead correct through the IF/Then discussion. The situation can be used as teaching tool. IF you do this/that at that point of a game or play, THEN this/that happens and it causes an issue or breakdown here. OR … IF you do it this way – THEN is allows us to do this. These are Teaching moments!! - Try not to discourage trying it under different conditions if it could be productive.

Watch Yourself !! How do you Interact with ALL your Players - ‘The Coaches kid’ or ‘Favorites’ will be perceived, even if not factual.  Body Language – Can be more important than anything you say! HOW DO YOUR REACT TO A BAD PLAY ! What is your sideline demeanor! Let them know you care – Have Balance and Be Consistent! * InJury Care and Bringing them back into the game – “If you play it safe – you won’t be sorry” After game call – Incident Report available to Coordinator.   Would you want to be coached by you ? - When you were being coached were you the same makeup as the people you are coaching now?

Finally… What is one thing that you as a Coach need to improve? (you ask your players this question One on One?) What IMPACT will you leave ?