The Impact of Language in Coaching Youth Sport
Communicating with intent is a skill all youth coaches can and should develop.
Welcome to the 176th edition of The Physical Movement. Happy Halloween and thanks for spending a few minutes with us as work to improve the delivery of youth sport to those who need it the most.
This week we will explore the language of coaching. While all youth coaches begin with good intentions, executing on those can become a tall task. A key ingredient to this execution is the development of strong communication skills.
The case can be made that the strongest attribute a impactful coach can have is the ability to communicate effectively. From the very young to 21 and over language skills of the coach become a great divider in positive vs not so positive experiences.
At any level under 12 years old, language is most effective when descriptive in nature and light hearted at its core. Young people below 12 are not small adults and should not be spoken to as such. From 13-18 years old, the language used can either connect with our athletes or alienate them. 19 and over rolls into young adulthood and communications needs to strike a balance between the task at hand and human connection.
At its foundation, language is a form of communication. Communication can take numerous shapes and sizes from physical to verbal, intentional and non-intentional, group and individual. Language is at the heart of all it and the case can be made that intention drives language that connects and creates memorable positive experiences.
If you have been around youth sport long enough you have seen the yeller versus the seemingly passive coach, the overly positive to almost sedate, those that look players in the eye and those who do not, those who curse too much and those who treat our young people like adults when they should not.
We see and hear all kinds.
One of the biggest takeaways on language is the last point, speaking to young people as if they are the same age as the coach. Understanding the impact of language spoken by a coach is a key step in ensuring that the youth sport experience is positive. It requires awareness and skill development.
Coaches: your language and ability to communicate drives how well your young athlete will respond.
Some common coaching terms and analysis:
Cursing: When does it become acceptable to curse in a discussion with a young athlete. When they are over 12 ? 16? 18? Anytime? Cursing is present in our society more than ever. That does not make it acceptable or productive as a regularly used word. See the below article around the overuse of F-bombs in youth sport.
“Our goal is to win”: Unless you are dealing with professional athletes, this verbalized goal already puts your youth athlete behind the eight ball. While everyone likes to win, the variables to control in winning are elusive and make it very difficult to measure progress. Intention here, even in the highly competitive world of travel sport is critical for coaches. Even at the highest levels, the communicated goal must be development, progress, maximizing potential, enjoying the time on the field of play and in preparation for it, and understanding the drivers to competition.
“Winning comes down to who wants it more”
Overheard a lot and could not disagree more. All participants prefer to win over not winning, but it is most often defined by the individual or team who have prepared to exceed the demands of the game. Those who have the skills combined with developing situational performance excellence will assist attaining the desired outcome, but “wanting it more” is subjective and very difficult to use as a foundation for victory.
“Better performance comes down to better focus”
While the argument can be made that this is true, defining focus can be very difficult to pin down. How does a young athlete play (execute) in a demanding situation?
How about when the desired outcome of winning is under the microscope (aka when the pressure is on)?. Focus is a skill and as we explored with Coach Doug Mckeen, very few coaches practice with their athletes the skill of clearing one’s mind to focus on the task at hand. We can learn a lot from how Coach Doug approaches the subject.
To get a great perspective on teaching focus check out Bryce Harper’s interview below after a clutch game winning playoff series winning home run last week, specifically at the 12:50 mark. Being grateful for the opportunity. “Being grateful for the opportunity, if you go in with gratitude in the at bat, then it does not matter what happens”. As a coach, what language do you use to help with that as a tool for better focus?
“Be quicker”
yes, this has been heard as a coaching cue during competition. What does this mean to a young athlete? They are doing all they can to move quickly. Practice is where speed training and mechanical practice of the sequences for faster movement come into play. “Be quicker” is one of my favorite coaching “duh” moments, and this language is not helpful.
“Show some energy”
While being positive internally and to others on the team can be helpful during performance, jumping up and down screaming for our teammates or running/skating with too much zest drains energy without constructive outcome. There is a difference between a supportive teammate and losing focus on the tasks at hand. Channeling the energy to play with enthusiasm, with a smile, relaxed and supportive might be a better way to phrase it.
These are just a few examples of language and how it is used and how it can be used with intention for a strong and positive experience in youth sport.
So often the language we use as coaches forgets who our audience is, and that is a mistake no coach should ever make.
Additional resources on communication from The Physical Movement
The Bryce Harper interview, check out the 12:50 mark, when he speaks about being grateful for the opportunity in pressure situation.