Michael Langlois

OMG! The observations of this North Carolinian regarding the loathsome piece of shit are so thoughtful and astute. Please give her a listen. 🥰🙌🙏👏👊🌊🇺🇸

It doesn’t take a good coach to spot obvious 'talent'. But it often does take a good coach to identify a young player with vision, smarts, inner toughness, drive, work rate, a great attitude, a late-bloomer, a huge heart- in short, a kid with qualities that make any team better…

Traits of a good youth coach? Patience. Sensitivity. Teacher. Relationship builder. Listens. Knows when to push, when to back off or give a pat on the back and when to wait that extra second instead of saying the wrong thing. Believes in -and is there- for all their players...

Too many youth coaches miss this: how a player treats teammates on —and off— the field reveals “real” character/leadership. Leaders don’t point fingers or make excuses. They support teammates, build them up when they are struggling and make sure everyone on the team feels valued.

What can a coach "teach" young players? Not to blame. Humility. To believe in themselves. To think for themselves. How to be a good teammate. That hard work is rewarding. That making mistakes is OK. That character matters- a lot. Any of these things make a difference in life...

Youth coaches: get to know your players; teach and inspire all of them; challenge them; believe in and support them. Don’t let them 'learn' to blame others. Help keep them in the sport and in love with their sport. Be there for them- you are creating lifelong memories every day.

If a youth sports coach teaches well, that’s tremendous. If they inspire their players, even better. But if that coach also finds a way to instil self-belief and confidence in a young athlete that has very little, they are likely making a lifelong difference for that individual…

When former players run into their old youth coach and say how much they loved playing for them, it’s likely not because of medals/tactics. It often has to do with memories of a coach that taught them, pushed them, believed in them, supported them- and helped make them better.

Youth coaches: if you demand a lot of your players in terms of the standards and expectations you set, fair enough. But it won’t mean much if you fall short yourself in terms of your own attitude, behaviour, consistency, fairness and your ability to build relationships and trust.

Signs of a good youth coach: Your players love the game even more at the end of the season; they’re more confident; they play to win but they treat their teammates -and others- with respect; they train on their own; they are all getting better; they don’t blame or make excuses.

Pros make "mistakes" constantly in sports. So when a hard-working youth player makes mistakes, it’s an opportunity for coaches- not to add more pressure, but rather to support the player even more. Most will respond way better to that than being yelled at, blamed- or benched.

As much as teaching technical skills matters for young athletes, what they'll likely remember most fondly years down the road are those coaches that somehow challenged and pushed them to always get a bit better but still made them feel like a million bucks. Not every coach can.

Most kids can’t just be 'told' to do something- they have to be shown. As a youth coach, if you can’t demonstrate certain things, it’s helpful to bring in a guest coach that can. Recognizing how and when you need help is not a sign of weakness- it’s part of being a good coach.

It’s far better for a youth sports coach to help as many of their players as possible to advance steadily in their sport, get better, gain confidence and keep loving their sport than focus their attention on one or two players who they think/hope will become a “pro” one day…

In youth sports, every good team needs more than "talent". Each player should be valued by their coaches for what they bring- it could be heart, vision, consistency, work ethic, leadership, character, determination, humility or building confidence in teammates. It all matters.

One of the best life lessons a youth coach can teach their players: don’t fall into a blame mindset. Too often young players learn to blame teammates/referees or to make excuses. If coaches and parents do that, it’s quite likely the kids will, too. Adults need to set the example.

As difficult as it can sometimes be, coaching youth sports is a privilege. It's a chance to set a positive example, help young people develop skills, recognize the importance of teamwork and not blaming others while supporting teammates. You’re building confidence- and character.

Communication is so key for youth coaches. Many talk “at” players. It's all one-way. But even young players can see things you don't! So teach, yes, but engage, listen and support. It builds trust. Be clear and consistent about expectations. Be the coach they’ll remember fondly.

Youth coaches: Are you striving to help every player get better? How do you handle “mistakes” by your players? Do you make time for each individual? Does every player feel valued? Do you believe in all your players and show it? Do you inspire a love of the game? Food for thought.

What can a coach teach young players? To believe in themselves and to think for themselves. Humility. Not to blame. How to be a good teammate. That hard work is rewarding. Making mistakes is OK. Striving to improve should never stop. Character matters. Any of that will help them.