NFL Player Engagementhas collaborated with Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) to present a series of tips for youth football coaches, parents, players and school or organizational leaders. Much detail follows on PCA – a national non-profit committed to developing “Better Athletes, Better People” – but to learn quickly about the organization, watch this video featuring PCA National Advisory Board Member and Pro Football Hall of Fame Quarterback Steve Young.
What is PCA?
Since its founding within the Stanford University Athletic Department in 1998, Positive Coaching Alliance has helped develop “Better Athletes, Better People” primarily through live group workshops, online courses, books by PCA Founder Jim Thompson, and e-mail tip series for youth and high school sports coaches, parents, student-athletes and school/organizational leaders.
In partnership with nearly 2,000 schools and youth sports organizations nationwide, PCA has conducted more than 11,000 live group workshops and impacted nearly 5 million youth.
PCA workshops and courses strive to establish these prevailing models in youth and high school sports:
- The Double-Goal Coach®, who strives to win while also pursuing the more important goal of teaching life lessons through sports
- The Second-Goal Parent®, who concentrates on life lessons, while letting coaches and athletes focus on competing
- The Triple-Impact Competitor®, who strives to impact sport on three levels by improving oneself, teammates, and the game as a whole.
PCA has the support of elite coaches and athletes on a National Advisory Board, including National Spokesperson and 11-time NBA Champion Coach Phil Jackson. High-profile football players and coaches on the Advisory Board include: Tony Dorsett, Tony Dungy, Herm Edwards, Joe Ehrmann, Pat Fitzgerald, Dan Hawkins, June Jones, Ronnie Lott, Steve Mariucci, Mark Murphy, Gene Washington, and Steve Young. Board Members in Memoriam are Jack Kemp and Bill Walsh.
What are PCA’s Principles?
Three principles underlie PCA training for the Double-Goal Coach, Second-Goal Parent, and Triple-Impact Competitor:
- Focusing on mastery, rather than just the scoreboard definition of “winning”
- Filling emotional tanks
- Honoring the game.
Mastery
Coaches and parents can teach their players the acronym “ELM” for Effort, Learning, and Mistakes. Players who give their best Effort, continuously Learn (both sports skills and life lessons) and realize that Mistakes are OK (so they can get over their mistakes and prepare for the next play) are in the process of mastering their sports. That process makes them winners who will succeed in life – no matter what the scoreboard says.
Filling Emotional Tanks
Each person has an “Emotional Tank” like the gas tank of a car. An empty tank takes you nowhere. A full tank can take you most anywhere. Top fuel for a youth athlete’s Emotional Tank is a mix of five truthful, specific pieces of praise for every one specific, constructive criticism. That will keep players willing to work hard and open to all a coach can teach them.
Honoring the Game
As a reminder of the importance of sportsmanship to coaches, parents, players, and fans, PCA uses the acronym ROOTS for respecting Rules, Opponents, Officials, Teammates, and Self.
In future issues of NFL Player Engagement newsletters, PCA will provide specific news, views, videos, tips, tools, information, and inspiration that reinforce these principles.
For more from PCA, subscribe to the free bi-weekly e-newsletter, Momentum, and the free weekly series of coaching tips, Talking Points. To learn the specifics of bringing PCA to a school or youth sports organization, watch this video featuring Herm Edwards and to have a PCA Partnership Manager contact you, fill out this form.