Coach Training Presentations
We offer live coaching training sessions to both coaches and parents.
Our trainings sessions are fun, entertaining and paradigm shifting.
Our trainings sessions are fun, entertaining and paradigm shifting.
I recently volunteered to be our team’s representative at a mandatory parent meeting for Gold Crown
participants. Although I can’t say that I was looking forward to going, I ended up listening to a very thought-
provoking speaker, Gary Avischious (www.coachingschool.org), on the topic of parents in sports. “Thought
provoking” is one way to describe it…”uncomfortable” is another, because I’m afraid I saw myself described
in his presentation a little too often.
Most of us will recall when “Youth Sports” consisted of rushing home after school and immediately heading
out to the ballpark, or basketball court, or the cul-de-sac down the street, to engage in several hours of
heated competition cleverly disguised as fun. Somewhere along the line, we decided to organize
everything, and spend the better part of our adult lives carting kids from one ‘organized’ activity after
another, trying to force ‘fun’ on something that was a lot more fun when we weren't’t involved.
Although I had never thought of it that way, Avischious pointed out that the concept of “Winning” is largely a
parent thing. Obviously it is important that we instill a winning attitude, and winning certainly makes
competition more fun, but think about this as an example: What if a bunch of kids get together to play a
pickup game of basketball after school (that used to happen a few years ago). With no parents, coaches, or
officials around, they begin playing a game with no set plays, no pre-determined positions, and (most-
important) absolutely no “advice” from spectators…because there aren't any. What will happen? Well, they’
ll probably have a great time, get along well with the ‘other’ team, and they’ll probably learn from their own
mistakes. Two other phenomena will also probably take place: First, they’ll probably get tired of keeping
score, and will just play for the fun of the competition. Second, they’ll probably keep trading players in a
constant effort to “make the game even.” What does that tell us about kid’s interest in “Winning”?
-John Camper, Parent
participants. Although I can’t say that I was looking forward to going, I ended up listening to a very thought-
provoking speaker, Gary Avischious (www.coachingschool.org), on the topic of parents in sports. “Thought
provoking” is one way to describe it…”uncomfortable” is another, because I’m afraid I saw myself described
in his presentation a little too often.
Most of us will recall when “Youth Sports” consisted of rushing home after school and immediately heading
out to the ballpark, or basketball court, or the cul-de-sac down the street, to engage in several hours of
heated competition cleverly disguised as fun. Somewhere along the line, we decided to organize
everything, and spend the better part of our adult lives carting kids from one ‘organized’ activity after
another, trying to force ‘fun’ on something that was a lot more fun when we weren't’t involved.
Although I had never thought of it that way, Avischious pointed out that the concept of “Winning” is largely a
parent thing. Obviously it is important that we instill a winning attitude, and winning certainly makes
competition more fun, but think about this as an example: What if a bunch of kids get together to play a
pickup game of basketball after school (that used to happen a few years ago). With no parents, coaches, or
officials around, they begin playing a game with no set plays, no pre-determined positions, and (most-
important) absolutely no “advice” from spectators…because there aren't any. What will happen? Well, they’
ll probably have a great time, get along well with the ‘other’ team, and they’ll probably learn from their own
mistakes. Two other phenomena will also probably take place: First, they’ll probably get tired of keeping
score, and will just play for the fun of the competition. Second, they’ll probably keep trading players in a
constant effort to “make the game even.” What does that tell us about kid’s interest in “Winning”?
-John Camper, Parent
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