Unlock the Potential of High School Sports with Positive Coaching
Maximizing Athletic Experiences
Captains of Jordan School District's winter sports teams gather for a workshop designed to enhance their experiences. Interactive training encourages student-athletes to embrace failure and keep moving forward. Team captains have the responsibility to honor the game by respecting rules, teammates, competitors, officials, and themselves. Eliza Brunner, as a co-captain, battles internal doubts daily. Maya French, her co-captain, knows the importance of positive connections. Both have seen their ability to lift teammates and themselves grow after participating in the Positive Coach Alliance workshop.Student-athletes enjoy unique opportunities to lift others amid the ups and downs of sports. The workshop is an interactive experience where young athletes share experiences and ideas. Crate Oveson teaches them to be triple-action competitors, impacting the game on three levels: improving themselves, teammates, and the game. They must master the "ELM Tree" of effort, learning, and mistakes. Growth comes from exerting maximum effort, learning daily, and allowing others to make mistakes.
Filling Emotional Tanks
In a Rock Paper Scissors game, student-athletes experienced the impact of negative and positive feedback. When booed, the finalists froze. But when cheered, they focused and performed better. Crate Oveson emphasized the importance of checking in with teammates before criticizing them. "Ask, and then listen," she said. "We have two ears and one mouth for a reason."Athletic directors shared their wisdom. They emphasized building a strong team culture, giving everything in every game and practice, leading and holding teammates accountable, living in the moment, finding connections between sports and life, and developing lasting character traits.
Honoring the Game
Concluding the workshop, Crate Oveson challenged the young team leaders to always honor the game. This means respecting the rules, competition, officials, teammates, and oneself. She emphasized that honoring the game affects everyone associated with it. Many of the district's team captains are seniors, and Crate Oveson asked them how they will be remembered.After the workshop, Copper Hills High School athletic director Ben Morley appreciated the message to manage setbacks, look out for others, and keep competing. He believes it's important to embrace adversity as an opportunity to improve.
