Youth Sports Coaching: 7 Tips for Sharing Positive Feedback

As a youth sports coach, finding a healthy balance between facilitating development and competitiveness is an important process. Giving feedback in a constructive and positive way is a component of both. Arguably the most important element of coaching, feedback is your form of teaching.

Check our seven tips below to ensure your feedback is effective and positive:

1. Be specific 

When giving feedback, it’s important to be specific about what players do well and what can be improved. Delivering timely feedback while the moment is fresh builds awareness.

Specific commentary about little moments yields impactful coaching moments! Give details for mental and physical approaches!

Vague or general feedback doesn’t facilitate growth. Be sure to elaborate on the key takeaway, providing context and explanation. Your role as a coach is to teach and advise. 

2. Use “I” statements

An “I” statement in coaching is communication that focuses on expressing one’s own thoughts and feelings. “I” statements promote open communication while reducing defensiveness or conflict.

“I noticed that you’re having trouble create separation. We’ll work on some drills to improve your footwork and quickness.” 

That style of language shifts focus to the coach’s observations and the athlete’s potential for improvement, rather than placing blame or making the athlete feel criticized. Coaching youth sports is about maintaining a desired energy — tone and language are critical.

3. Emphasize effort over results

It’s important to recognize the effort that players put into their performance, especially in losing situations. For example:

“I could tell you were working hard out there today. Don’t worry about the score. Don’t worry about how they played. Keep up the effort — we’ll get better everyday.”

4. Use positive reinforcement 

Positive reinforcement is a powerful tool for encouraging good behavior and performance. Players are more likely to notice personal shortcomings than subtle growth. For that reason, anytime you see something done well, let them know! 

This tip applies to daily life. While it obviously has a role in sports/player development, being positive or constructive towards peers incentivizes connectivity and builds relationships.

5. Focus on the present and future

When giving feedback, don’t dwell on the past. Having a “short-term memory” is important in sports. Momentum can change anytime. Attitude is a big part of that, so focusing on the present and future is always valuable.

6. Offer solutions 

Fill your feedback with solutions or strategies. This fuels improvement. For example:

Instead of saying “Your late on defense,” try saying, “I noticed that your struggling to stay in front of attackers. Let’s work on staying low and moving our feet quickly.”

Offering solutions in the form of “I” statements is a key combination of feedback tips.

7. Use video to save time

Video is a powerful tool for giving feedback. By showing a player videos of their performance, you provide a deeper look at the good and bad. However, ensure video is used in a positive and constructive way, rather than focusing solely on mistakes. Harness video with your players through:

• Visual learning tools
• Points of reference
• 1-on-1 time to reflect
• Team-building activity
• Posterity! Everybody loves video. Evidence of your accomplishments is a form of positive reinforcement.

 

Pixellot provides coaches with an all-in-one video and analytics solution for all levels of play. Use our platform to improve your coaching methodologies and workflow. Equip your players with the tools they need to improve.