Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) is a national nonprofit organization working to unlock the life-changing power of sports for all kids, regardless of social or economic circumstance. PCA provides a variety of coaching resources.
Key elements for motivating today's youth athletes:
- Explain the "why": With technology and information at their fingertips, young athletes expect adults to have done their homework. Providing a quick rationale for training methods and practice plans can improve motivation and effort of young people. It also reduces the inevitable ‘why’ questions from both athletes and parents.
- Communicate effectively: While face-to-face communication may not be a strength of today’s athletes, coaches and support staff can challenge young athletes by asking open-ended questions, practicing face-to-face conversations in team meetings or training, and switching up methods of communication (i.e. videos, articles, demonstrations) to aid messaging. They can also make messages clear, concise, and direct to account for shorter attention spans.
- Build independence: Today’s athletes are more dependent on significant adults than any other cohort in history. By giving athletes some autonomy, choice, and responsibility, coaches and support staff can give them more ownership and develop skills related to independence. For example, providing opportunities for decision making, critical thinking, and accountability can help athletes with personal and professional development.
- Promote resiliency: While each generation is considered “softer” than the previous one, current generations are known to have heightened difficulties dealing with adversity. Coaches and support staff can create opportunities for athletes to cope with adversity and further develop perseverance and resilience. Creating pressure and challenging situations in training, along with supporting appropriate coping strategies, may assist today’s athletes with how to better handle competitive and personal setbacks.
Coach resources from Positive Coaching Alliance:
| Positive Motivation Toolkit | Tips for getting the best from today's athletes |
| Supporting Attention and Function | Tips for helping athletes who may need help with executive functioning on and off the field |
| Nurturing a Growth Mindset | How to help athletes focus on development and process as opposed to a fixed mindset |
| Parent-Guardian Letter | Letter to parents/guardians explaining positive coaching approach |