How youth sports coaching needs to change | Finnley Pratt | TEDxSaintAndrewsSchool

Summary

The script narrates a young athlete's journey with a bullying coach, detailing the emotional turmoil and loss of passion for the sport of softball. It emphasizes the importance of coaches fostering a supportive environment to maintain athletes' love for the game. The speaker shares personal experiences and cites research to argue for the need to value coaches based on their character, not just their ability to win. The narrative concludes with a call to action to hold coaches accountable and support young athletes in their sports endeavors.

Takeaways

• 😀 Young athletes can experience intense anxiety when joining a new team, especially when coaches are intimidating.
• 🤔 Aggressive or backhanded comments from coaches can confuse players, blurring the line between passion and anger.
• 😥 Over time, harsh treatment from coaches can diminish a player's love for the sport, leading to anxiety before practices.
• 🏅 Coaches should be valued for their character, not just for their ability to bring success to a team.
• 🙌 A supportive team and love for the game can sometimes compensate for a toxic coach but may not be enough in the long run.
• 📉 Bullying coaches can negatively impact players' confidence and performance, pushing them to seek praise rather than improvement.
• 🧠 Athletes often self-criticize, making supportive coaching essential for both their skill development and mental well-being.
• ❤️ A good coach uplifts, inspires, and shapes players into better people on and off the field.
• 🛑 The sports culture's focus on winning can discourage kids from continuing to play when coaches don't provide reasons to stay.
• 🌟 Players' love for the game can be destroyed by toxic coaching, making it crucial for coaches to invest in the personal growth of their athletes.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial reaction to the new coach?

The speaker was initially confused as to why they felt so nervous around the new coach, despite hearing only positive things about them during tryouts.

How did the coach's behavior affect the speaker's teammates?

The coach's aggressive backhanded compliments towards the other girls made the speaker question what was wrong with their performance.

What emotions did the speaker experience during practice?

The speaker experienced dread and anxiety before going to practices due to the coach's unpredictable emotions and ridiculing comments.

How did the team dynamics change over time?

As time went on, the speaker grew closer to the girls on the team, which helped to mitigate the negative feelings associated with the coach's behavior.

What was the impact of the coach's attitude on the speaker's love for the game?

The coach's attitude began to overshadow the speaker's love for the game, leading to a questioning of whether they wanted to continue playing.

What is the difference between a 'bully coach' and a coach who pushes you to be your best?

A bully coach belittles players, which is different from a coach who pushes you to be your best and provides constructive criticism.

How does being singled out and belittled affect a player's confidence and behavior?

According to an article by Mike Edgar, being singled out and belittled can cause a player's confidence to fall and they may start craving praise rather than focusing on good performance.

What is the importance of a coach's role in developing others?

Coaching and developing others is considered one of the top three most important leadership positions, as per research done by the corn fairy Institute.

Why do some athletes stop playing sports at a young age?

A study by The Washington Post found that 70% of kids decide to stop playing competitive travel sports by the age of 13, often due to a lack of support for playing for fun and not being given a reason to stay.

How can a coach positively influence a player's development?

A good coach molds, inspires, creates, and influences the player to become a better person on and off the field, not just in terms of their sport.

What are some of the long-term effects a coach can have on an athlete's mental health?

The speaker recalls messages and lessons from their coach that were unrelated to the sport, which were memorable due to the way they were delivered and have had a lasting impact on their mental health.

How did the speaker's feelings towards their sport change over time?

The speaker's feelings towards softball shifted from associating it with fun and happiness to associating it with belittlement, fear, and a chore.

What is the significance of a player's identity in relation to their sport?

Falling out of love with a sport can take away a player's identity, causing them to struggle with their self-image and the sport they once loved.