What's Ahead
Parents:
   Nine Symptoms of Burnout
Coaches:
   Recognizing Player Accomplishments
Players:
  Player Assigned Homework

Maine Youth Sports
www.maineyouthsports.com
P.O. Box 442
Cumberland, ME 04021
inquiry@maineyouthsports.com
(207) 415-6321

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To Be the Best at One Sport, Play Several

An article, available on NFL.com, provides parents a good understanding of the need for kids to have a variety of sports experiences. The article cites Paul Hornung a football Heisman Trophy winner, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and recognized as a widely skilled player. His advice for young athletes is to delay specialization for as long as possible by playing a variety of sports for the following reasons:

• Each sport develops different physical skills, coordination and conditioning -- all of which will result in overall athletic growth.
• Each sport requires a different mental approach, yields a variety of experiences, and breeds discipline which can be applied to other sports.
• A variety of coaches, in different sports, can provide a broader background of fundamentals, strategies and performance tips.
• Playing different sports can help youngsters avoid mental burnout, injuries and a sport becoming work, instead of fun.
• Playing different sports early on can give athletes an edge when they are forced to specialize later on because of their well-rounded experiences.
• Besides playing different organized sports, young athletes should have time to play plenty of pick-up games for fun and peer competition, with no adult supervision, because these promote creativity and freedom to improve, instead of the pressure to always perform successfully.

The sports learning process should be similar to the one that kids go through in school where class time is divided among many subjects. Parents should encourage their kids to seek this variety of sports education knowing that the more well rounded they are with all skills, the better kids will play in any sport they choose.

Building Team Chemistry

If team chemistry made a sound, it would sound like a “click”. When teams “click”, they raise their level of play as teammates cooperate and work together toward their common goal. Most championship teams credit team chemistry as a key element of their success. But, in the limited time available to youth sports coaches, team chemistry is often a challenge for teams composed of teammates not already familiar with one another.

Building team chemistry involves building common experiences, skills, emotions and goals among the players. However, in a short season, practices and games alone may not provide enough time. To build team chemistry quickly, coaches should consider a preseason or early season team meeting with only the players and coaches that helps break the ice and gets players more familiar with their teammates. Some suggested activities include:

• Player introductions where one player asks another a list of questions and then introduces the player to the group.
• Relay races, trivia quizzes and similar small group competitions with no more than 4 players per group. Smaller group size helps facilitate player interactions.
• Problem solving activities featuring game situations or strategies that smaller groups of players discuss, solve, diagram and present to the whole team.
• An after practice pizza party that gives the players a chance to talk and interact with one another.

By breaking down normal shyness and letting kids get comfortable around their teammates, coaches facilitate an environment where peer support encourages team play. This environment can help the entire team work together and minimize player cliques composed of players who attend the same school, have the same teacher or have previously played together. Helping all players get along before a game goes a long way to helping players get along during a game.

Sample Team Icebreakers
For sample team icebreakers, click here

I Don’t Understand or No Excuses

Whenever a coach points out a mistake to a player, the player always has the opportunity to try and shift the blame somewhere else. Not wanting the blame for a mistake is a natural human reaction. Unlike in school, where homework eating dogs run wild, sports often leave a player or his teammates as the only possible sources for mistakes.

Trying to assign blame to a teammate is sure way for a player to become unpopular on the team. However, players need to think through why they are trying to avoid blame in the first place. Mistakes are a normal part of any activity and this includes sports. When coaches point out mistakes, they are not looking for excuses, they are looking to try and prevent the problem in the future.

Players should consider limiting their answers to coaches to one of two possible answers. These are:

1. I don’t understand.
2. No excuses - I’ll try harder.

The first answer lets coaches know that a player doesn’t understand how the mistake happened and needs additional instruction. Coaches are there to teach and most coaches welcome player questions.

The second answer lets coaches know that a player knows how the mistake happened and what to do to correct it. The coach can then expect the player to act differently at the next opportunity.

Accepting blame for mistakes is essential for learning how to correct them. When players blame others or make excuses, they often guarantee that the coach will be pointing out their same mistake in the future.

Core Strengthening and Rebounding Exercises ----------

In most any sport you play, your body is put through high demands of flexibility, strength, and coordination that challenge your neuromuscular system. Here are 3 exercises which strengthen your rebounding muscles and guarantee that you dominate the boards. If you don't play basketball, this exercise is still excellent to strengthen your core abs and back muscles.

Rebounding Exercise
This is a partnered exercise where you sit on the floor or a Swiss Ball and your partner will push the ball in different directions, front, back, sideways, and diagonally, in a random fashion. You have to react and fight the movement, bringing the ball back to center. You can get creative with this by adding variety, such as doing it with your eyes closed.

Progression of Rebounding Exercise:

1. Basketball for easiest resistance
2. Medicine Ball for heavier resistance
3. Basketball with Swiss Ball for balance challenge
4. Medicine Ball or HeavyBasketball with Swiss Ball for heavy resistance and balance challenge.

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