GOLD STANDARD COACHING @CoachLok

In coaching, especially at the youth sports level, what position a player has an opportunity to play is always a hot topic. In basketball forwards want to play guard, shooting guards want a chance to play point guard. In football, players desire to play offense rather than defense and everyone wants to be the quarterback, running back or receiver. In those youth sports, coaches often "stereotype" players into particular positions. I had a 10 yr old on a team while working a basketball camp, and after going through several substitution rotations, the 5 biggest players on the team were on the floor at once. The best of them asked me, "who's going to play point guard".. so I answered that he should. He replied, "I'm not a point guard... my coach says I'm a center". My response was, "There's no such thing as a 10 yr old center!" And he played point guard, doing quite well, I might add. In " Positive Coaching in a Nutshell" ...

Positive Coaching Alliance says that a Triple-Impact Competitor works as hard as possible to make an impact on three levels: • Improving yourself as a player and person • Helping your teammates improve • Improving the sport as a whole. This plaque was placed on the wall outside the Florida Gators athletic facility. Does this "promise" epitomize that concept? Wouldn't we all love to have a leader on our teams that would make this "promise"?

When people and coaches refer to the "Heart of a Champion", what are they really talking about? Aren't they talking about qualities exhibited like confidence, conviction, focus, poise, dedication, determination, courage, sacrifice, selflessness, and perseverance? Aren't those all heroic character traits that stem from tremendous *mental toughness*? Isn't that being "more consistent and better than your opponents in remaining determined, focused, confident, resilient, and in control under pressure (Jones et al, 2002). Wouldn't we describe that person as having the "Heart of a Champion"? Shouldn't it then be, "Play with the MIND of a champion"?