What does your coach do to develop your kid to be the best version of themselves?
I was interested in writing this blog because earlier in the week I saw a post that talked about the process a parent should go thru to pick the best travel softball team for their kid.
I know coaches who only look at wins and losses and they justify their own ego by saying, people sign up to play for them because they win. In some ways that is probably true. Winning is better than losing and if you win it can mask everything else. However, long after the game, the important part of coaching is how did the coach develop the player?
I know parents who sign up because they want to be part of the best team they can find, but what they really want is to be on the best team if their kid is one of the best players and plays all the time. It could be the best team the kid has have ever played on, but if their kid is not playing because they are being outperformed then they are not happy.
I have had the privilege this summer to coach one of the most talented teams I have ever had but it also has been hard for some because their little Suzy is being outplayed and the parents are having a hard time because their kid is not playing as much as they anticipated.
I say if they are getting the other stuff, the stuff that can help them be the best version of themselves, then even if they are not paying all the time, they are winning. They will not always need their softball skills, but the life skills they learn now will always come in handy later.
All my teams learn about the most important life development skill they can, how to create dreams and set goals to accomplish what you want in life. All my teams learn about the power of Affirmations and how having a list of things that you know you are good at can change the direction of your life and put you where you want to be. They all have accountability partners and they learn to trust each other, support each other and hold people accountable. Every player is taught about the power of their mindset and by simply envisioning what they want can to help them attract those things in their life they want.
This stuff works if the kid and parents would just use it.
If coaches are not equipped to teach the life skills, they can bring in a paid expert just like they would a hitting or fielding expert. Each year I have a guest speaker or tow. This year my daughter and wife came out to talk to my kids and families about the recruiting process and what helped her get into Stanford and succeed at the best university in the nation. I also brought a friend of mine out who is an international speaker and trainer who shared with my team how their beliefs are attached to their results and their results will match with what they feel about themselves.
The other piece is parents make sure you know what you sign up for. If you are on a team that is geared for getting your kid recruited, know that is an on-going process. We have great relationships built up over decades and we speak to coaches more times than you can pay us. The cost to play is one thing, the value parents and players get for what they pay is priceless with us.
We have a history of showing our commitment to helping our players reach their highest level. But that is not all. We are also committed to coaching from a transformational perspective meaning we develop the entire person, not just the softball player. We are committed to changing people and changing lives!
www.rightchoicecoaching.com
www.the100percentlife.com