This week’s Coach Pic of the Week is a new member of the CoachUp team. Please welcome Kenny! Perhaps you recognize him – he was a former NFL receiver drafted by the Detroit Lions.
Kenny is booking sessions now: https://www.coachup.com/coaches/kennym
The summer season is just around the corner, and we couldn’t be more excited to connect families and athletes with the perfect private sports coach. Naturally this great weather provides ample opportunity for athletes to spend more time training and playing, and their families and parents more opportunities to watch their athletes compete.
We’ve got some big things lined up for the summer, and they’re already getting under way. This month we’ll celebrate two major milestones: our one year anniversary and an official announcement that we now have over 7,000 sports coaches onboard the CoachUp team.
We’re getting our coaches involved in some pretty awesome and unique coaching opportunities. Just this past week, we helped CNET/ CBS Interactive reporter Bridget Carey get in touch with one of our top Archery coaches for a virtual coaching session using Google Glass, a wearable computer with a head-mounted display that is being developed by Google . You can read that story on the CoachUp Blog which will give you a taste of all the great partnerships and developments coming down the pipeline at CoachUp.
Starting this month, we’ll be bringing you weekly newsletters to keep you abreast of our ongoings and opportunities. From Coach Spotlight Features to CoachUp events to training tips – we’ve got it all, so spread the word.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook to get a taste of all the fun we’ll be having, and of course, to join in on it! Share with us your sports and fitness accomplishments this summer by tweeting, commenting and sharing your pictures with us. We’re excited to be part of your progress towards reaching Another Level™ in sports + life, and we hope you are too.
Being a sports parent can be a full-time job. If you have multiple kids, or a kid playing multiple sports it can consume a lot of your time. If you are not careful coaching can eat up your family time. Balancing the time is vital for you to be the best parent and sports parent you can be.
It is a light season for me and my family right now, as I am only coaching one of our kids teams. Although it is only one sport, many weeks we have three days of commitments between practice and games. Not to mention, my kids are involved in more activities than sports.
A mutual love of sports
Homeschooling activities, clubs, church, and the need to have some free time to do whatever they want, can literally take up our entire week. The problem is I love sports. I love the fact my kids love sports. And I love being involved as much as I can with their sports. If I am not careful, I can become out of balance leaning heavily to the youth sports activities of my kids.
Why is this a concern?
Just like most of us sports parents and coaches, playing sports will end at some point for our kids. What happens then? Yes, there are plenty of life lessons to be learned playing sports. Yes, many times you get to spend quality time with your kids during the sporting activities. But when it all stops, will there be a void?
When the ball stops bouncing
My wife and I occasionally discuss our life after our kids leave. As a parent your kids take up a lot of your time, focus, and life! I’ve heard countless stories of marriages failing after the one thing(s) they spent most of their time and energy with is gone. The same is possible with coaching and sports parenting.
When that ball stops bouncing, being kicked, or thrown do you have other things you and your kids spend time with?
What if they quit, well before you intended for them to quit. Will problems in your relationship come as a result?
I am out of balance. How do I get in balance?
As I said before I can easily get out of balance without realizing it. But the more intentional I am about it all, the better I am at remaining in balance. I have noticed a few things which help me keep things in perspective and balance when it comes to family life and sports parenting.
- Know your why. Why are your kids playing and why have you volunteered to coach? Sometimes we lose site of it all. It can become about bragging rights. It can be about getting the most exposure for your kid. It can become about keeping up with the Jones in your neighborhood or circle. It can be because you got cut from the team as a kid. Know, and check, your reasons for you and your kids involvement. Have the reasons changed, and are they the right reasons?
- Do other activities provide something similar? If spending time with your kids is your reason, there may be other ways to get this family time. In today’s youth sports world AAU, travel team, and year-round sports can cost a lot in time and money. If you are reading the CoachUp blog then you love sports so much that not many other things do what sports does for you, just like me. That is great. However, make sure your kids are exposed and involved with other things.
- Plan ahead. Have you considered what will happen when your kids stop playing, or you stop coaching. How will that look? Going back to your why, what do you want to happen as a result of your kids playing sports and you being involved. Maybe that family vacation which gets put off every year due to travel ball, should be a priority. It could be an additional memory builder, the fun activity everyone looks forward to after the ball stops bouncing.
- Take a break. Rest is necessary in all things. We are encouraged to take a day or two off from work each week. Employers give employees vacation time. Schools have a summer break. Professional athletes have an off season. Make sure you are taking a break from it all. I understand when one sport ends the next is usually beginning with little, if any, time between. However, to balance your family life and avoid burn out for your kids, be intentional about taking breaks.
- Always have fun. Sports are fun, and should always be fun. Most kids playing youth sports dream of “playing games” for their jobs one day like their sports heroes do. Make sure you are always having fun, and your kids are too. When it stops being fun, it may be time to look at #1 again, and see if it is time to find something else. In addition find various ways to have fun, although I am sure you’ll always lean toward sports and physical activity. Which is a good thing, especially when kept in balance.
Family life will continue
If you are a sports parent either through coaching, or watching your kids sports I encourage you to keep some balance between sports and family life. Be well rounded.
The other activities may also benefit them in sports. No matter what happens to sports, or other activities, your family and the memories will remain.
Question: How do you balance family life, coaching, and your kids sports?
Jackie Bledsoe, Jr. writes a Family Leadership blog at jackiebledsoe.com. He is a sports parent of three, has played sports for over 30 years, including the collegiate level, and coached youth sports for the past eight years. You can connect with him on Facebook and Twitter (@jbledsoejr).
photo credit: Crazybananas via photopin cc
As the Summer approaches and the great weather with it, there’s no better excuse to get back outside and in shape. The only problem is motivation. Let’s face it, when it comes to sitting on the couch or going out for a run, the couch usually wins out. Here are a few tips that can help you get over that hurdle and back on your feet.
1. Grab a friend
If you’re the type of person who finds it hard to turn down others, then grab a friend and get them to commit to a regular outing with you every week. By doing so, you’ll be obligated to go out and do some exercise, which may feel like a burden. However, once you get back from the day’s activities, I can guarantee you won’t be saying “man, I really wish I had sat around on the couch instead of going out today”.
Activities: Hiking, Jogging, Frisbee, Tennis, Yoga, Cycling, Surfing, Fitness DVD, Rock Climbing
2. Join a league
For some of us, being with just one friend doesn’t cut it – we need a team to hold us accountable. The best part about joining a sports league is that if you’re a competitive person, you’ll be motivated outside of your league activities to get in shape so your team can start racking up some wins. On the flipside, if you’re not so competitive, being expected to pull your own weight on the court/field can also provide a lot of motivation to get in shape.
Activities: Kickball, Soccer, Basketball, Flag Football, Volleyball, Baseball, Ultimate Frisbee
3. Get in the gym
The gym can be one of the best tools to getting in shape, just ask any of the ridiculously fit people walking around inside. Sure it can be intimidating, but being surrounded by people who are being productive and exercising will definitely rub off on you as long as you stick around long enough. If you’re not sure about what exercises to do in the gym, a quick YouTube search will do some good. Also, make sure you learn a little bit about gym etiquette before you go.
Activities: Weight Training, Treadmill, Elliptical, Swimming, Zumba, Yoga, Aerobics
4. Learn something new
There’s always that one sport you’ve always been interested in but never had the time to try, and there’s no better time to start learning than now. One of the best ways to get started is to join classes or hire a teacher for the desired sport which will cost some money, but there are plenty of sports that don’t particularly require a teacher such as cycling and frisbee. In any case, finding something new that you’re interested in will help with motivation and being consistent in your effort to get fit.
Activities: Cycling, Frisbee, Tennis, Badminton, Rock Climbing, Surfing, Longboarding
5. Hire a Trainer
For those who would like to have a guide to show them the ropes around the gym or someone there to push them to their limits, hiring a Trainer is definitely the way to go. A good trainer will listen to what your goals are in terms of fitness and create a regimen for you that will help you achieve your goals. Make sure you find one that fits with your personality and you’ll be fit in no time.
All of these suggestions are here to make it easier for you to get active, but it always comes down to you. Once you make the decision to start something, the most important thing is to see it all the way through, and the best way to do that is to go out and find something that you truly enjoy. So get out there and give it a shot, I’m sure you won’t regret it!
This article was written by Andrew Poon of Bluefields.
Bluefields is a free online platform where you can communicate with and organize your sports team with ease. We believe that the time you spend on the court should be as simple and fun as the time you spend on it. Get started today at Bluefields.com
As a kid, we’ve all recreated some of the finest moments of our favorite athletes. This includes both pantomiming their actions and borrowing some of their mannerisms. Whether you grew up with Magic or Walton – as kids – we’ve all been there. As a young athlete, it’s important to watch some of the greats play and use some of what they do in an attempt to get better at the craft.
There are a number of reasons why this is done – and more importantly – there’s a reason why it should be done.
Here, I’ll explain some of the benefits of imitating some of the greats.
Confidence Building
Young athletes can draw a lot of confidence in using some of their idol’s favorite moves. If they consistently practice these moves, whether we’re talking crossovers, step-backs, or low post moves – it can benefit them greatly when it comes to their confidence. For a second, they can feel as if they’re actually that baller for a second. This does a lot, because there’s the chance that they’ll actually feel unstoppable in that aspect.
As we know, confidence counts a lot when you’re on the court. However, the same can be said about many different arenas in life. If you’ve got it, you’ll go far.
Effectiveness
The confidence isn’t the only thing here. Watching, learning and imitating can lead to success. The pros use their battery of moves because they work against the competition. The same can be said about sports at the youth level. Seriously – if a kid can perfect the Dream Shake – they’ll probably eviscerate the competition. It’s as simple as that. The same can be said about Iverson’s crossovers, which is still one of the most beautiful – and most effective – moves for any point guard.
Pros Watching Pros
The most interesting thing about imitating these moves is the fact that it doesn’t really stop at the youth level. Professional athletes also get in on the act. Look no further than Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant for evidence. Dirk Nowitzki has one of the most popular fade-away jumpers in the NBA. Before him, there wasn’t really anyone who used that leg kick. When he popularized it, you eventually saw both Kevin and Kobe doing it.
Not to take anything away from Kobe – who still has one of the largest range of offensive moves in the history of the NBA – but we’ve definitely seen him do it.
These two aren’t just some bench or “role” players, we’re talking about two of the best with the ball in their hands. If it works, it works.
It’s crucial that kids watch pro games. It’s not even something that’s exclusive to basketball, as all athletes of any sport can learn a lot from watching people who do it for a living. In watching them, they’ll not only be able to show their teammates, but they’ll also be more committed to their craft. For some, it’ll even make them go straight to the drive way with their favorite ball.
Eddie D. Shackleford is a Senior Editor for Cable.tv and loves to write and research topics about sports and more specifically youth sports. Eddie is a father of 2 and understands how important it is to coach kids the right way in youth sports. He believes in helping kids foster a dream and helping them achieve those dreams. Eddie loves coaching in youth sports as well.
When CNET and CBS Interactive reporter, Bridget Carey, needed an archery coach – she reached out to CoachUp for help.
Last week we connected Carey with CoachUp Coach, MJ Rodgers, one of our premiere archery coaches. Coach Rodgers has coached archery for over 20 years; he has coached an athlete at the 2004 Olympic Summer games in Athens, as well as the US Paralympic Archery team in London this past summer.
Needless to say, Coach Rodgers was prepared to take on the challenge that Carey brought to him. Carey proposed that they set up a virtual coaching session using Google’s latest tech innovation, Google Glass. Google Glass is a wearable computer with a head-mounted display that is currently under development by Google. So when CNET obtained a trial pair to test out, they brainstormed a few different applications, including this archery experiment.
Carey and Coach Rodgers set up a Google+ Hangout which allowed Rodgers, who is located in South Dakota, to view Carey’s video feed captured by the camera in Google Glass. Carey was located miles away from Rodgers at Pro Line Archery Lanes, an archery range in Queens. Based on that video, Rodgers gave Carey some essential tips on her form to help her during target practice.
You can read the article and view the live broadcast on CNET TV. Should you feel inspired to get your hands on a bow and arrow after seeing the story, then make sure to check out our archery and many other coaches.
Watching the Stanley Cup and wondering how you can become a Champion? Let 2008 and 2010 NCAA Champion Matt teach you how. Book Matt L. here.
I want you to try something at your kid’s next game. I want you to shut up.
Seriously. Don’t cheer. Don’t yell. Don’t shout.
Just sit in conscious silence. Sit with your mouth shut but your eyes and ears open. You will be amazed by the experience.
What Do You Hear?
Pay attention to what you hear. Are other sports parents shouting at their kids? If so, what are some things they’re yelling?
Are their comments positive? Are they using words of encouragement? Or are they critical of their young athlete’s performance?
Are the comments respectful of the opponents as well and the umpires or referees?
Start A Comment Clock
On average, how much time passes between each comment coming from other parents? (Faster paced games like ice hockey and lacrosse will have shorter times between comments than a game with more downtime, like baseball.)
It’s amazing how nice & peaceful the sounds of youth sports would be if over-zealous parents would just shut up. CLICK TO TWEET THAT
Keep Score and Share The Results.
Track the positive comments vs. the negative ones. Then come back here and post the final tally in the comments. It will be interesting to see a decent assortment of results.
Do Parent Comments Help?
This is a big one. Pay attention to the results parents get from shouting instructions. Do their kids even acknowledge them? If so, do they follow their advice? If so, are they have success because of it? My observation is that 97% of the parents who shout instructions to their kids during the game are 100% clueless. Have you noticed that, too?
The ones who constantly shout commands do it because they can’t stand not having control of what their kid does. Heaven forbid their kid actually learns something as a result of making a mistake on his own.
Is It Easy For You To Park It and Shut It?
When you conduct this little social experiment, pay attention to your urges and intentions. Is it easy for you to park it in your chair and shut your mouth? Do you really have to fight yourself to keep quiet throughout the game?
Make Notes of What You Want To Say
When you have the urge to shout something to your child, what is it? Make a note of what you want to say each time you fight the urge. If it’s important, it will be just as relevant after the game.
After the game, review your notes. Are they positive and encouraging or negative and critical? How would your positive vs. negative score compare to the other parents at the game?
By sitting in conscious silence you’ll become ultra-aware of all the shouting, both positive and negative, from other sports parents. (One side effect of your new found awareness is a constant smirk on your face.) Hopefully this social experiment will help you sit down, shut up and enjoy your kid’s future games more than ever before.
Don’t forget to come back and share your tally of positive vs. negative parent comments.
Thanks for reading,
-Kevin
Kevin Duy is a Sports Dad of three boys & creator of www.SportsDadHub.com - a website where you can fuel your child’s passion for sports (without burning him out.) Learn how to help your child become the best athlete HE wants to be, and use sports to teach life lessons along the way. Connect with Kevin on Facebook (/SportsDadHub) and Twitter (@SportsDadHub).
We love our moms here at CoachUp. Since this coming Sunday is Mother’s Day we thought it would be fitting to bring you one of our favorite athlete stories, shared with us by CoachUp parent and all-star mom Leigh. Leigh sought out a coach for her talented son who needed just a little more guidance and 1-on-1 coaching to excel in his school’s track program.
Leigh got him the help he needed to get to the next level in his sport. As a result, he’s dropped three full seconds off of his 400m time thanks to Coach Ivory’s guidance and his mother’s support. Despite not having athletic experience herself, Leigh made it her priority to help her son in his athletic endeavors and the results have been tremendous success.
We caught up with Cindy to ask her a little more about the story:
Tell us a little bit about your athlete. What events does he run?
Our son became interested in track (running) last year and has primarily run the 400, 4×400 or mile.
What sort of times or level was your son competing at?
He is a novice runner and was running a 58 second 400.
What were some of your son’s frustrations or goals?
He really wanted to run faster and learn how to be a better runner in general. He received very little training from his high school coaches. They basically would just make the kids run, but not really instruct them or teach them.
What is your philosophy, as a parent and as a mother, in helping your son in sports?
My husband and I are both supportive of our son in any activity that he wants to do as long as he works hard and shows interest and commitment.
Why did you decide to have your son try private coaching?
Our son came to us and asked us if we could please get him extra help, I went online and started searching for private track coaches and that is how I found CoachUp.
How did your son feel about private coaching initially and then after a few sessions?
He was a little nervous, but we were all hoping the coach would be able to help. After the first session, our son came home completely pumped up and excited. He loved the coach and felt certain he would see improvement this track season.
What sort of changes did you see in performances?
Our son went from running a 58 second 400 to running a 55 second 400. His mile started at 6 minutes and quickly came in way under that. Unfortunately, our son suffers from asthma and was sick for a few weeks, but I think he would have done even better if he hadn’t been sick.
What sort of changes did you see in your son outside of athletics?
It was night and day when he was with Coach Ivory! His mood and attitude was positive and he came home from each session feeling inspired. We only wish the school track coaches were as good. The Coach Up experience was very good!
How does it feel to be able to have positively impacted your son’s life by helping with in his sports career?
Fantastic! We felt like we not only gave our son an opportunity to train with a professional, but we also exposed him to someone that cared about him as a “whole” person. Coach Ivory seemed to really care about our son as an athlete, a student, and a person. That is what makes the sessions so special.
What other things are important to you in your parenting? (values and ethics/practices you want to instill in your children)
I really hope my kids learn that hard work, perseverance and commitment can be rewarding…whether you win a race or not.
Do you feel athletics can help children become more successful or help them develop admirable character traits?
Absolutely, our son seems to have grown from the healthy competition with other students, and from the hard work and dedication that he has invested in sports.
Do you have any advice for other mothers looking to support their children’s goals in sports?
Probably the most important thing a mother can do for their child is to listen to them. Let them tell you what they want from the sport or the team experience. Too often we get caught up in what we expect as parents from a sport. We need to listen to our kids. If they say, “I sure wish I could hit better, or I wish I could run faster,” then you reach out and offer help. But too much “pushing” when they aren’t ready to commit can backfire and turn a child off of a sport.
Any advice to other parents on how to best use CoachUp?
Give it a try, if your child wants to get better. Great coaches that use positive reinforcement! We did the package of five sessions and it was just the right “kick start” to track season.
Do you consider yourself a “sports mom”? What does “sports mom” mean to you?
I’m a sports mom in the sense that I enjoy when my children play sports. I love watching the games, the events, the meets, and always hope that win or lose…they enjoy the experience.
What’s your idea of a great Mother’s Day gift?
Probably spending time as a family and a nice card or note from my sons.
From the CoachUp Team we wish all of our mothers, and yours, a very Happy Mother’s Day!
There’s much discussion among youth sports pundits about whether travel ball is good for young athletes. But from what I can tell, it’s not going away any time soon.
If your child is entrenched in the world of travel sports, then your weekends are not your own and there is a very good chance that your Mother’s Day will be spent in a gym sitting on hard bleachers or outside in a chair on the sidelines.
Between our three kids–two played travel basketball, one played travel softball, and one played travel volleyball–we had a total of 9 consecutive years with weekend sports overload. And on more than one occasion I spent my Mother’s Day watching my daughters and/or my son compete.
As a mother, this can cause an internal dilemma. It’s MY day, my ONE day to be revered, appreciated, and spoiled. And this is how I will spend it? Sitting on hard seats, eating quick meals, and driving long distances?
It’s enough to make any mother pout.
The first time that I was forced to give up my mother’s day, it was for an out-of-town basketball tournament. I remember seeing the schedule and thinking, What? A tournament on Mother’s Day? Hold on just a minute!
At this point, I was faced with a choice.
- Be a martyr and suffer through it. I’m really good at this.
- Refuse to go and spend the day alone. Actually, maybe that’s not such a bad idea….
- Go and enjoy it.
I decided to suck it up and choose option #3. And in the process I learned something.
As a mom of three athletes, one of my greatest joys is to watch my kids play sports. So what better way than to spend my day doing something that I love to do?
What better way to celebrate the fact that I am blessed with three great kids than to go do a really mom thing and support them as they compete?
If your kids are still in the travel sport stage of life, I encourage you, Mom, to look at Mother’s Day tournament weekends as a opportunity to celebrate the blessings of being a mom. There will be plenty of time down the road for them to spoil you and make you cry with cards and presents that express their appreciation for all you’ve sacrificed.
Go and enjoy it. And after you have, please leave a comment below to tell me how your weekend was.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Janis B. Meredith writes a sportsparenting blog, http://jbmthinks.com. She’s been a sports mom for 20 years, and a coach’s wife for 28, and sees life from both sides of the bench. You can also follow her on facebook and twitter.
photo credit: lululemon athletica via photopin cc
