Edition 217: Do This To Damage the Athlete’s Self Esteem and Push Them To Quit.

Empowering ourselves as parents & coaches on best practices in improving conditioning , strength and skill development in our youth is critical for ongoing participation.

Thanks so much for all the feedback on last week’s edition on enjoying activities from youth through adulthood.  There is no better feeling than that sense of contribution to a young persons love of a sport or activity.

The topic triggers a lot of thought on the “how” to make sporting activities more fun. One of those topics was first addressed in October 2021 in The Physical Movement….the topic of using exercise as punishment.

Simply put, using physical activity hurts our youth in more ways that one.

Photo by Doğukan Şahin on Unsplash

It is also a sign of the times. Many of us grew up with disciplinarian coaches.  It was part of the culture in the 1970’s and 80’s (which did not make it effective, just more prevalent.).

The data backs up that exercise as punishment is perhaps the least effective way for the athlete to improve technical skills.  

In 2023 we have a different mindset in our youth. A mindset of wanting to be included, part of the solution rather than be confronted with “disciplinarian” tasks.  That does not mean accountability goes out the window.  An approach that is more inclusive is better suited for the times we live in.

Exercise as punishment can jeopardize the young athlete's self­esteem and make them hate the sport. Want to turn off a young person to a sport?  Use exercise, such as running suicides, as punishment,

Want to turn someone on to the power of sport,  progress sand accomplishment?

Use player contracts and performance goals, with the goals of accountability and team building.

As documented by the Positive Coaching Alliance:

Physical education researchers Lydia Burak, Karen Pagnano-Richardson, and Maura Rosenthal suggest, instead of using exercise as punishment, coaches should:

1) Create a task-involved, student­centered environment

2) Adopt the FITT principle (frequency, intensity, type, time)

3) Adapt the fitness plan in response to schedule and fatigue

4) Use positive, detailed, timely feedback to increase desired social behaviors

5) Teach for social and personal responsibility, empower students with decision making

6) Focus on the positives

7) Reflect on coaching, class and team performance

8) Foster mutual respect between teacher/coach and student-athlete.

These aspects can create a more positive team environment and reduce the pressure under which young athletes play.

"I've had the opportunity to experience both styles," said Linda Bentzen, parent of a high school athlete in Fountain, Colo. "My daughter cringes when she goes to basketball because the coach is so negative. It puts her in a different frame of mind in playing the game. She is playing under so much pressure in basketball."

Performance goals include sport-­specific items, like increasing topspin on a forehand or accelerating the racquet head speed on the serve in tennis. They may also include mental aspects such as staying focused or staying positive throughout the match.

In addition to performance goals, teams can establish player, parent, and coach contracts. Athletes, parents, and coaches collaborate on a list of 'acceptables' and 'unacceptables' when it comes to player conduct on and off the court.

"If a coach involves their players in the running of the team if they make an agreement and know the consequences of breaking a rule, they love it," said Jim Thompson, President & CEO of Positive Coaching Alliance. "You're being clear with them. Either they've helped establish the rules or they've agreed to buy in."

Punishment, on the other hand, said Thompson, can result in athletes losing motivation or even quitting their sport.

At the end of the day, coaches and parents have a responsibility to evolve with the times.  If the goal is to have our youth enjoy sport and physical activity and all the positives that come with it, then we should make the special effort to understand HOW to teach skills, accountability, focus, and discipline without using exercise as punishment.

TPM has had other articles on the topic, as this unfortunate “coaching strategy” does not seem to go away.

The more we know and share and apply, the better the experience for our youth!