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Is obsession with winning an opponent of excellence in youth sports?

Photo |KRU Images

Sports scholars hold forth that the main role of a youth coach is to provide an environment where athletes can develop with the aim of maximizing their potential. By contrast, coaches have shifted their consideration from improving excellence in players to focusing on immediate results only.

Coaches who are developmentally-oriented often lose their best players to ‘winning teams’ who guarantee scholarships. Such coaches play all their athletes and even risk defeat in pursuit of teaching for the long-term gain.

It’s important to note that excellence encompasses the whole process whereas winning is about short term outcome. Excellence cultivates a growth mindset in athletes that’s crucial in learning. In comparison, winning promotes outcome-focused and a fixed brain that fears failure and defeat. Also, it trashes effort as part of the development process.

Excellence coaching gives room for learning and failures. Coaches who subscribe to the excellence philosophy consider individual differences in growth as opposed to results oriented counterparts who view players as a homogenous block.

Kenyan coaches need to shift their philosophy from being results oriented to an excellence approach. Research shows that coaches who execute a development approach are met with setbacks from fans and sponsors. Therefore, there’s need for collaboration and understanding between players, fans and sponsors. Communicating the rationale behind your philosophy and decisions is paramount.

Do youth coaches want their players to win all matches in their lifetime? So easy. Play in a low tier league, play over-aged players in wrong age bracket competitions and without doubt you will achieve your desire.But,there will be boredom, little learning and challenges. To add, you will fail to teach them how to handle defeat in sports and life in broader optics.

If you’re an adult and your well-being and emotions are tied to the result of a u-14 youth game, you shouldn’t be coaching kids

Through my analysis, players should learn to compete against themselves, team mates and opponents-it fosters motivation for players to train harder and constantly drives them off the comfort zones. All players need feedback and know their performance matters to themselves and team. Coaches should also consider building relationships, teaching and having discussions with players as human beings.

Kenya needs better coaching and an excellence coaching philosophy in youth sports. Coaches must teach basic skills prior. I am of the opinion that if athletes are developed wholly, winning becomes an aftermath.

Are you an excellence or result oriented youth coach?


Comments

Unknown said…
This is a sad truth but a challenge to the youth couches as well as other couches at large.Great content Lorence 💪
April 22, 2021 at 10:51 PM
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