Coaches Tip of the Week

At practice this upcoming season, let kids decide what do.

Individualism and creativity are missing from traditional organized sports, which is another reason kids get disenchanted and drop out. Letting them create their own games or work on the skill of their desire gives them a stake in their own development.  They feel empowered. It makes for happy kids and happy parents.

You can give kids the opportunity to express their creativity by allowing them to run a portion of practice.  This is best done at the same time every practice, and becomes a portion of practice kids look forward to and prepare for each week.

For a coach this approach is an additional teaching tool. We’ve found that when kids are given the choice to practice what they want, they have better recall of recently taught skills.  I tested this concept in one NFL program with a group of kids who had been instructed for the first time in three positions – quarterback, center, and wide receiver. All instruction took place in a series of ninety-minute practice. Later I had instructors ask their players to create a skill game that would best help them perform and remember a newly learned skill. One of the twelve-year-olds came up with a game to test the quarterback, center and wide receiver skills. Players split into groups of three to practice snapping, throwing, and catching the ball.  He awarded the group one point for successful snap, one of the quarterback dropped back into a proper throwing position, and one if the receiver caught the ball.

The drill he invented was simple but effective.  As all three players rotate through the positions, they had to work together to accumulate points.  They also competed against other groups to see who could get the most points.  Eventually they established a relay type race executing all these skills down the field with each athlete rotating to every to all three positions up and down the field.

The results were astounding. Kids were executing drills correctly immediately following instruction, and over 80 percent recalled and properly executed the same fundamentals days after the drill was originally taught.

It is your challenge as a coach or parent working with kids to create an environment in which learning is fun for everyone. Remember, it is the journey that matters for kids, not the final score or league standing.