Keep sport fun for children
10 ideas on keeping coaching fun for children
- Make the experience fun & enjoyable, creating an environment where the children can not wait to come back next week
- Be supportive & encourage children to take ownership of their learning & development
- Help children set achievable [holistic] goals and celebrate their accomplishments
- Help children recognise that relationship & problem solving skills are valuable in sport & life
- Model good sportsmanship & other pro-social values with coaches, teammates & opponents
- Focus on intention and progress rather than results and perfection
- Highlight how sport can be a platform for not just physical health, but mental health too – a safe space to be themselves
- Avoid giving children all of the answers. Provide them with the conditions to make decisions for themselves, using you as a resource
- Avoid making comparisons between young people – they will all grow, with the right conditions, but at a speed that is right for them
- Finally, remember that children are not mini-adults. They are growing, developing, learning, failing, falling and learning again
As a coach, we can play a big part in making sport a brilliant experience
Tom Hartley
@thomaswhartley
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