Your ability to get along with teammates is driven more by what you do for them than what they do for you. Don’t wait on teammates to make you feel welcome. Take the lead and practice being a good teammate without waiting to see if others will be good teammates first.

“Confidence is a very fragile thing.”

Joe Montana

Children grow faster in the springtime than in any other season during the year.

What's Ahead
Parents:
Growing Up is Hard to Do
Coaches:
To Be or Not To Be
Players:
Don't Dwell on Your Mistakes

Maine Youth Sports
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Remember Please, Thank You and Go Get Them!

Youth games are often dominated by the more aggressive players. This leaves some parents wondering why their child does not measure up. One simple answer is that they are just good parents who have raised a polite child.

Habits developed at home often carry on to the playing field. If kids are polite at home, they are likely to be polite on the playing field and avoid confrontations with teammates and opponents. Over time, kids will learn to differentiate their behavior while playing sports from their behavior while at the dinner table. This will lead to more aggressive play and improved performance.

Aggressive play is a behavior that comes from a competitive spirit fed by practice and a better understanding of the sport. Parents can encourage both competitiveness and good manners. It may take time for kids to fully understand the differences. Until then, parents should be patient and be proud of the fact that they are getting the big things right.

Ancient Chinese Advice for Coaches

"To know your enemy, you must become your enemy... Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Sun Tzu

Unfortunately for some youth coaches, this saying might have more application to team parents than to the weekend’s opponent. However, if parents are becoming a problem, this ancient Chinese battle strategy does provide solid advice for coaches seeking a remedy.

Coaches and parents do not have the same goals. Where parents focus on one child, coaches focus on the entire team. Most times, these differing viewpoints yield the same result and parents and coaches see little conflict. Occasionally though, these differing focuses cause two distinct interpretations of events. This is where Sun Tzu’s advice comes into play.

For coaches to work with parents, they need to bring them close and to communicate. Coaches not only educate players, they also educate parents. Part of a youth coach’s job is to help parents understand ways they can help their child and to help them understand things from a team perspective. Good communication between coaches and parents goes a long away to keep things in perspective and under control. Good communication won’t make the viewpoints the same, but will make for a better understanding.

10 Things I Want in a Teammate
(or 10 Things My Teammates Want of Me)

When players join a team, they often get instructions from a coach about what is expected of them, but, players rarely get a similar set of instructions from their teammates. However, learning what is expected from teammates can be a fairly simple process. All players need to do is list what they want from their teammates and then work to give those things first. Here is a common wish list for teammates:

1. Talks to me - Someone who is in a good mood and goes out of the way to say hello and talk to me.
2. Helps me - Someone who practices and learns about the game and then helps me learn too.
3. Gives me a chance - Someone who shares the play with me by passing.
4. Encourages me - Someone who always tells me to keep trying when something I do isn’t working out.
5. Congratulates me - Someone who is the first person to congratulate me when I do something right.
6. Sticks up for me - Someone who I can count on when I’m challenged by someone on the other team.
7. Shows confidence - Someone who is positive about our abilities to win contests.
8. Never quits - Someone who always plays hard no matter the score.
9. Never pouts - Someone who is always upbeat even if something doesn’t go the right way.
10. Never boasts - Someone who thanks other players for their help after making a score.

Being a good teammate takes work and thought. Players who make the effort will see the reward long past their time on the team.

How to Fit Training into Your Already Full Life

Very few athletes have the luxury of being paid to train. Most of us have to balance fitness programs with work, family and social commitments. Sometimes it's tough to maintain balance in all areas and still improve performance. Here are some ideas for those trying to juggle a demanding training schedule with a hectic life.

• Loosely plan your training schedule in advance so you make your training time effective. It doesn't have to be precise, but know general mileage goals and intensity days week by week.
• While you should have a training plan, you also need to keep it flexible. Because life happens, you will need to modify your training based upon weather, meetings, kids, family, and other obligations. Being able to deal with un-planned events will also help you deal with race-day mishaps and teach you to calm you mind and remain relaxed.
• Get adequate rest and recovery. Avoid overtraining or getting run-down with too many commitments, because your training quality will suffer.
• Set conservative and realistic training goals. If goals are a little below what you think is feasible, you're more likely to achieve your goals. It's also better to consistently meet modest targets than to fall short of lofty goals.
• Match your performance goals to your ability to commit to training. If you only have a few hours to train a week, don't plan to do a marathon.
• Consider your motivation for training and competing. Is it a lifestyle, health reasons, competition, winning? Each motivation will have a different method. Determine where training fits in your life and keep things in perspective.
• Try to use your commute time for training. Can you bike, run or walk part or all the way to work?
• Try flexible scheduling. Can you come in later, earlier or take a longer lunch? Many employers are flexible if you ask
• Train at lunch. Not only is this very time efficient, but it makes you more productive in the afternoon.Break up your workout into twice a day sessions. Can't train an hour each morning? Mix it up with an am/pm 30 minute session or one of weights one of cardio. Save your long training days for weekends.
• Plan morning workouts. If you train first thing in the morning, no matter what comes up during the day, you will not have to worry about missing a workout.
• Get organized. Get your workout gear ready the night before. Get clothes are laid out, tires pumped, bottles are full, food prepared. If everything is ready, you don't need to waste time looking.
• Ask for Support. Let you family, work, and friends know your plans and training goals so they can support you. It's amazing how supportive and motivating people can be if you ask for help.
• Remind Yourself. Post your training plan where you and even others can see it.

Remember, training hard is important but training consistently is equally as important. Also important, if your body is tired and sore, let it recover before your next workout!

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