Create a positive day one climate

In her paper published by the University of Kansas in 2010, Mary D. Fry, the college’s professor of Sport and Exercise Psychology, demonstrates the vital importance in children’s sports coaching of working to create a positive environment from the very first training session. 

A ‘Caring Climate’

Besides the obvious health benefits, Fry argues that being active teaches children valuable life lessons about the joy of hard work, supporting others through challenges, and improving over time. Creating a ‘caring climate’ – one that is ‘interpersonally inviting, safe, supportive and able to provide the experience of being valued and respected’ – should be at the heart of every practice.

Fry cites Turner Gill, the college’s head football coach, as a shining example. Gill’s philosophy centres on coaches and athletes treating each other with kindness and respect, and bringing out the best in one another. “I know I’m here to win football games’, he acknowledges, ‘but I know it goes deeper than football.”

Amid an elite sporting culture fixated on winning, Fry praises Gill’s philosophy as refreshing and well supported by sports psychology research. This ‘caring climate’ helps children get the most from sport, addressing issues such as dropout and childhood obesity, and can significantly enhance physical, emotional and psychological development in athletes of all ages and abilities.

But how can coaches achieve this? Fry outlines strategies for the first day or week of training with a new team.

Setting the Tone from Day One

Provide a warm and friendly greeting to each participant

Give each young athlete a friendly welcome on arrival, introducing yourself to them and their families.

Equally important, help the children introduce themselves to each other – perhaps in threes, sharing something about themselves.

Fundamentally, you must put yourself in their shoes – or boots. Coaches can easily forget what it’s like to join a new team. Many athletes may be nervous, worrying whether they are good enough, what their coach will be like, and whether they will make friends.

Provide a positive welcome to the entire team

Many coaches get straight down to business in the first session. But, Fry writes, they miss a chance to generate excitement, ease fears, and help children feel welcome and invited.

Address the whole team, telling them how much you and the other coaches look forward to training with them. You could even send a postcard or email beforehand to ease nerves and build excitement.

Organisational details can be distracting, but ‘what a shame’, Fry writes, ‘when there is no effort put in to make them feel welcome and excited about the possibilities ahead’.

Address the whole team, telling them how much you and the other coaches look forward to training with them

Set clear expectations for all to hear

Research also supports a ‘task-involving climate’, which focuses on effort and improvement to maximise each athlete’s potential.

This works because effort is the one variable athletes fully control, whereas winning depends on many factors beyond their control. Coaches are vital here, as many athletes don’t recognise their own improvement. 

Help athletes measure success by personal effort and improvement rather than winning, and make this the team philosophy – one that parents

Help athletes build relationships with one another

Building relationships helps children support one another and discover the value of a strong social network.

Quality friendships have been associated with ‘higher self-esteem and more positive attitudes about physical activity’. Fry suggests a few ‘little things’ to help friendships develop: 

• At the end of practice, let athletes compliment each other on the strengths they notice.
• Design drills where athletes call out team-mates’ names, improving communication and name-learning.
• During breaks, have athletes find three things they have in common with a partner.
• Pair athletes with a practice partner for the day to check in on how training is going.

Bring parents on board

Finally, include parents. Coaches have a great opportunity to educate them and promote a positive approach to physical activity.

Encourage parents to introduce themselves to one another – a small gesture that shows their important role in the team environment. 

A team contact list for athletes and parents will also help families connect.

The Takeaway

As studies have shown, the perception of a ‘caring’ and ‘task-involving’ climate is associated with children ‘having more fun, trying harder, demonstrating better sportspersonship, experiencing less anxiety, and reporting a better ability to handle their positive and negative emotions’.

Fry also links such climates to more positive interaction, caring behaviour and empathy among athletes.

In a culture that piles pressure on winning, Fry’s case for a ‘caring climate’ is convincing. Her overarching message is clear: nail the environment first, and the results will follow.

LINK TO PAPER HERE