Coaching Young Athletes with Heart: Building Resilience, Passion, Joy, and Lifelong Competitors

By William Callaghan

If you want to build passion and discover what your young athletes are capable of, you must infuse your coaching with heart. Discover how! Did you know that nearly 70% of young athletes drop out of their sport before they even reach the age of 13? That's not what we want for our young athletes--and the reason this happens is one that, as parents and coaches, we can avoid. The reason kids drop out of sports so young is pressure. They feel immense pressure to win and not to let their teammates and coaches down. The result is stress, anxiety, and, in the worst cases, burnout. But sport shouldn't be like this. Sport should be fun, and it should be something that young athletes love because they recognize how much strength it gives them in other areas of life. It isn't just about medals and trophies--it's about joy, resilience, and personal growth, all of which we can cultivate by changing the way we coach. Whether you're a parent, a coach, or a volunteer at youth sporting events, you can be a pioneer in bringing a new form of coaching to your teams . You can build their confidence and show them how to find their strength when they're faced with a new challenge--and these skills won't just help them with their athletic performance--they will help them navigate life as a whole. The secret is to coach from the heart, leaning into your emotional intelligence to encourage passion and resilience in every young athlete you work with --and this comprehensive and practical guide will show you exactly how to do it. Inside, you'll discover: A clear understanding of what builds resilience in athletes--and the practical exercises you can use to do it How you can bring joy back to the sport by infusing fun in every practice (at the same time as building their skills) Why emotional intelligence is so crucial to coaching... and the key strategies you need to develop your own EQ while improving your team's Effective techniques for advanced skills development in older athletes (prepare them for competitions while protecting their mental health) The tech tools you didn't know you could be using to enhance your coaching--and precisely what they can do for you Clear guidance for establishing an inclusive team environment that celebrates diversity The secret to balancing physical and emotional growth so that young athletes set off on a path of long-term growth and development How to recognize the signs of anxiety in your athletes... and what to do about it if you spot them What you can do to cultivate strong athlete-coach relationships and supportive parent-coach partnerships How to empower young athletes to become leaders on the field and strive for success in every area of life Practical guidance for developing your coaching philosophy and leaving behind a legacy you can be proud of And much more. If you've been coaching for some time, you probably have tried-and-tested methods that you're reluctant to part with... but to coach from the heart, you don't need to start from scratch. You can build positivity into your training program at every point and encourage growth, resilience, and a passion for the sport in every young athlete you work with--without completely overhauling your approach. We're on the edge of a revolution in youth sports--make sure you're leading the charge!

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0F63512YT
• ISBN13: 9798281066570
• Release Date: April 2025
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 160 Pages
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.6" x 6.0"