As the year comes to an end and we all start preparing for the Holiday Season and spending time with family and friends, I also find myself having meetings with all of our players to have an open discussion about where they are today in terms of their physical skills, emotional state, and goals for the upcoming season. Yes, this is great time for any parent or coach of an athlete to talk about where they are today and how they are going to achieve their goals during the upcoming year. It seems like as we get older, time moves quite quickly so planning becomes an essential part of helping young players grow and continue to move in a positive direction in life. I always like to ask our players to summarize their fall season and to identify their strengths and weaknesses that help give them some direction as to what skills they need to work on for improving their game or life skills. It also gives me a time to ask some candid questions regarding our team and identify our potential leaders that are truly respected by their teammates. This can be very enlightening from a coach's view as sometimes who we think are our leaders sometimes do not match up with the player's inner circle. Leaders must earn the respect of their peers and by asking this question, I get a very good picture to help formulate our potential leaders of tomorrow!
The Holidays can be a very productive time or a time that you can throw away the hard work and effort you have put forth during the fall season. Meeting with your players also give you an opportunity to thank them for their effort and what they bring to the team. I do not know anyone that does not like to hear some positive feedback and it can be motivating for them to continue working hard at the game when structure is not there. In this day and age, young people can sometime be struggling with balancing being a kid and meeting the demands of being an athlete. It is always refreshing when they will share their struggles and concerns so we can give them guidance. After all, the best thing we can offer a young person is the ability to share our years of experience. Much of that experience can be a way to comfort them in tough times and assure them that they can get through it. Anyone that has been successful in life has learned to deal with adversity and negativity. Small conversations can open the door to a better relationship and understanding of the competitive environment. Our job is to be the adult and provide guidance and support to bring them a better understanding of how to deal with the tough times in life. After all, Softball is a game and life will provide many challenges that are much more difficult than any softball game played! We as adults must remind ourselves that sometimes being a kid in today's world can be challenging. As parents and coaches, we will always have the benefit of our past experiences to pass along that can hopefully make them feel better about themselves. Happy kid = Happy parents = Happy Coach!
Remember the true meaning of Christmas and give thanks to the abilities that we have been given to play this game, coach this game, and most importantly to bring a child into this world. Every day is a gift that we should never take it for granted and be thankful for relationships this game will leave with you that will last much longer than any game you will play!
The Holidays can be a very productive time or a time that you can throw away the hard work and effort you have put forth during the fall season. Meeting with your players also give you an opportunity to thank them for their effort and what they bring to the team. I do not know anyone that does not like to hear some positive feedback and it can be motivating for them to continue working hard at the game when structure is not there. In this day and age, young people can sometime be struggling with balancing being a kid and meeting the demands of being an athlete. It is always refreshing when they will share their struggles and concerns so we can give them guidance. After all, the best thing we can offer a young person is the ability to share our years of experience. Much of that experience can be a way to comfort them in tough times and assure them that they can get through it. Anyone that has been successful in life has learned to deal with adversity and negativity. Small conversations can open the door to a better relationship and understanding of the competitive environment. Our job is to be the adult and provide guidance and support to bring them a better understanding of how to deal with the tough times in life. After all, Softball is a game and life will provide many challenges that are much more difficult than any softball game played! We as adults must remind ourselves that sometimes being a kid in today's world can be challenging. As parents and coaches, we will always have the benefit of our past experiences to pass along that can hopefully make them feel better about themselves. Happy kid = Happy parents = Happy Coach!
Remember the true meaning of Christmas and give thanks to the abilities that we have been given to play this game, coach this game, and most importantly to bring a child into this world. Every day is a gift that we should never take it for granted and be thankful for relationships this game will leave with you that will last much longer than any game you will play!
Until next month,
Coach Candrea