Jeff Farris
 
Recognizing Player Accomplishments
One of the secrets to coaching is to praise activities that you want repeated. Praising is an inexpensive form of reward that is especially effective with...
Sports Esteem     May 1 2003
Nine Symptoms of Burnout
School days, homework, chores and family activities all take their toll on a young person's time. Add in an active schedule and little time is left for down...
Sports Esteem     May 1 2003
I Don't Understand or No Excuses
Whenever a coach points out a mistake to a player, the player always has the opportunity to try and shift the blame somewhere else. Not wanting the blame for a...
Sports Esteem     Apr 16 2003
Building Team Chemistry
If team chemistry made a sound, it would sound like a "click". When teams "click", they raise their level of play as teammates cooperate and work together...
Sports Esteem     Apr 16 2003
To Be the Best at One Sport, Play Several
An article, available on NFL.com, provides parents a good understanding of the need for kids to have a variety of sports experiences. The article cites Paul...
Sports Esteem     Apr 16 2003
Applied Listening
From childhood through adulthood, everyone always seems to ask "Are you listening?" In life, as well as in sports, listening skills are at least as important,...
Sports Esteem     Apr 2 2003
Resetting Expectations
Albert Einstein once described insanity as "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Different teams are motivated in...
Sports Esteem     Apr 2 2003
Supporting a Coach's Discipline
Sooner or later, kids are going to get in trouble and a coach is going to take some form of corrective action. These actions can range from a discussion to a...
Sports Esteem     Apr 2 2003
Using Your Teammates
It's natural to dream of shooting the game winning basket or scoring the go ahead goal or touchdown. However, as team skills increase, it becomes progressively...
Sports Esteem     Mar 30 2003
The Importance of Regular Team Meetings
Youth coaches sometimes joke that the ideal youth team is a team of orphans. Though this approach is one solution to problem parents, there are other more...
Sports Esteem     Mar 30 2003
Overcorrecting
In a car, a sudden swerve or overcorrection can sometimes lead to an even greater risk of a serious accident. These overcorrections are caused by a driver's...
Sports Esteem     Mar 30 2003
Handling a Loss
If players play long enough they are going to lose their share of games and sometimes lose badly. Handling these losses is actually a more important lesson...
Sports Esteem     Mar 15 2003
When What Parents Say Isn't What They Want
A typical parent interaction with a coach after a game or practice usually goes something like this: Great win! You really worked them! You annihilated them!...
Sports Esteem     Mar 15 2003
Coaching Conflicts
As much as coaches want to help individual players, their overall responsibility is to the team. Youth coaches often seek compromises that try to reconcile...
Sports Esteem     Mar 15 2003
Identifying Your Special Talent
Everyone would like to be the fastest or strongest player on the team. However, there can only be one "fastest" and one "strongest" player. For teams, this is...
Sports Esteem     Mar 5 2003
Setting Goals
Good performance starts with good goals. Lou Holtz, one the of nation's most successful college football coaches, once said that "Of all my experiences in...
Sports Esteem     Mar 5 2003
Managing Your Child’s Development
Just like children bring home homework that is beyond what a parent can help with, young athletes often progress beyond the abilities of a parent. If the...
Sports Esteem     Mar 5 2003
Is Your Stomach Ready for the Game?
A player's stomach can be a big factor going into a game or practice. What players put in their stomachs hours before a game can make a big difference in game...
Sports Esteem     Feb 5 2003
Practice Fun
For coaches, practice time is a precious opportunity to get players ready for the next game. For players, practice is an opportunity to spend time with friends...
Sports Esteem     Feb 5 2003
Helping from the Sidelines
Parents are comfortable giving instructions to their child and this comfort naturally spills over into athletic competitions. However, when it comes to game...
Sports Esteem     Feb 5 2003
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