Help Kids Fall In Love With The Game

As an early education and grade school-aged youth sports programming professional, I have a unique opportunity to impact young athletes at the beginning of their athletic journeys. The best way I know how to do this is to prioritize ‘the experience’ over the win. In most cases, young athletes don’t quit sports over a win or a loss. It is almost always tied to the experience when young athletes leave a mark. 

If you, as a coach or instructor, can create a competitive and fun culture at the youth level, you can win at both. You don’t have to be an expert at any sport to engage young athletes. You have to be open-minded and willing to think outside the box to relate and connect with the young people you are coaching.  

I recommend connecting with these young athletes to meet them where they’re at. It is so easy as a coach or instructor to have confident expectations of the athletes we coach, to assume they’re at a skill level because of age, size or grade. However, the reality is you are the coach, so coach. It is that simple. 

If the young athlete is at your camp, your class, or on your team, you have to look past what you expect and provide the skill development to reach the next level. The next level will be different for every young athlete, but how you get them to that next level will speak to your ability to connect with them. Your job is to strengthen the skills they have, to strengthen the skills they lack, and to acknowledge the non-sports-related areas where they may also need encouragement. 

Building confidence will be essential. Celebrating early success often will help keep the athlete hungry for more and working hard to gain more encouragement. Let’s stop worrying about getting the “W” immediately and start focusing on building mentally young solid athletes who can fall in love with the game. When they love the game, their hard work and dedication will lead to wins!