Running a youth sports league is an overwhelming job, either you are a coach in the school’s youth program or a staff member at a third-party youth sports organization. A youth sport suffers from focusing on short-term goals at the cost of longer-term objectives. They remain stuck to the next game, next to the sports program, next session and thus ignore the bigger picture. It’s a tough call to look ahead when you are already occupied with not much workload. Here you need to take the pressures off your shoulders to improve your youth sports league. It will provide a better experience for all your little sportsmen. We list down some of the most useful tips to help you:
Encourage Coaches to Collaborate:
This is important when you run a large-scale youth sports league. It will help you manage all the coaching strategies, practices, techniques, recommended drills, and many other things. It will overall enhance the quality of coaching leading towards a better experience.
Don’t encourage an atmosphere of competitiveness, rivalry, and hostility among the different coaches and their teams. You are there for kids and coaches in the league so it should remain more like a camp counselor than drilling instructions. Coaches and mentors are meant to assist kids in improving their skills and succeed. Encourage coaches to collaborate in your youth leagues, which is quite helpful if you have inexperienced coaches on your side. They can take advice and guidelines from seasoned veterans. The coach’s dinner at the commencement of the season every year is a good way to do this. It will give them a platform to sit together and discuss.
Ask for the Feedback from Parents:
At the starting of any season, ask parents and players to fill in the feedback sheet indicating their expectations in your youth sports league. This will aid in setting a general direction for the sports league. For instance, if the majority aims at having fun and enjoyment during sports, you can be a little relaxed and friendly when it comes to coaching. However, if the majority says they want to be competitive and enhance their skills – you can less emphasize fun and focus more on training and drills.
At the end of the season, provide players and parents with another sheet of feedback asking different questions regarding their experiences and improvements they want to witness. This is an extremely powerful way to refocus your sports league. It ensures participants leave with the league with maximum satisfaction and feel they are truly valued and want to come again.
Make Each Player feel Special with Improvement Reports:
The major problem faced by kids in a youth sports league is feeling ignored, overlooked, and demoralized. Even the most seasoned coaches can tilt towards naturally gifted athletic kids with lots of potentials. In the end, your sports league is not about a single child. Each member of the youth league is equally important and deserves to feel special.
At the year-end, forgo the traditional ‘participation trophies’. Instead, provide each one with improvement reports. A customized report which outlines what they have improved and achieved, how they have excelled and performed, and their overall contribution towards their teams. It does not need to be particularly related to sports. It can carry general traits developed during sports like team working, comrade, and fun at practices. Have coaches who mention these things on the report card.
Every member of the team contributes towards their teams in the youth sports league in a positive manner. Remain focused on the positivity generated and thus, acknowledge them. You will be in shock at how much your young players will appreciate this gesture.