The Soccer Sidelines

Playing Next to One Another vs With One AnotherIt takes human beings a few years to figure out that there are other humans in the universe. When kids are young - in the earliest years of soccer development - kids do what's called parallel play. We witness this phenomenon as kids playing next to one another as opposed to with one another. This happens with all soccer players in the beginning. They're head's down, searching for the ball, watching their foot make contact, seeing what happens to the ball, etc. I probably see this phenomenon the most among developing players and it's one that I'm most sensitive to.I'm sensitive to it because it isn't limited to 3-6 year olds. New players coming onto the pitch go through a period of individual play just like young kids do. If we don't deliberately make corrections to help players become aware of one another, bad habits can form.  Parallel Play - Two young girls playing next to one anotherIt takes some evolution, some comfort on and around the ball for players to allow themselves the mental bandwidth to lift their head and see other players - let alone recognize how another player's movement is related to their own movement. Lifting player's heads is an early step towards connecting players together. A Few Ideas to Help Lift Player's HeadsCall out the number of fingers a player is holding up before passing the ballSurround the working player with 2-3 players wearing different colored vests. Pass a ball to a working player while simultaneously calling out a color they should pass to. Force the player to lift their head, identify the target color, and make the correct pass. Face two players against one another and give them a 40 yard runway. One runs backward while the other runs forward. The forward runner is the attacker. The backward runner is the defender. Instruct the defender to match the attackers movements while focusing on hips and shoulders. Add a check over the shoulder to a third player or a coach holding up a number of fingers. The defender must slow the attacker, mirror their movements, and be aware of the number of fingers being held up behind them. Lifting a player's head helps that player to see other players, but to truly realize the power that can be unlocked by playing with one another as a unit, players need to first establish good team (connecting) habits, then experience the benefits of working together to accomplish goals (pun intended). Once a few players start to see the value in the team approach, we hope they either have or can develop the leadership skills needed to bring the rest of the team onboard. Coach's ContributionBesides establishing an environment conducive for learning the power of the team approach, the coach's influence can extend onto the game pitch - for better and for worse! In a case where a coach deliberately seeks to recognize and reward good team dynamics, the team approach to soccer can be enhanced. But what does a counter productive strategy look like? I've seen coaches - many coaches - get focused on putting the ball in the net and not pay enough attention to how the ball gets put in the net. It's forgivable when parents do this, in my opinion. They are not expected to have the training or bigger picture. "Shoot!!... Shoot!!" coming from a parent sideline sounds much less destructive to the game to me than it does when it comes from the coach's bench - especially when the players are prepped for it. Don't think me too simple to realize that there is a time for shooting and often the window to get off a good shot is closed down quickly. Sometimes coaches need to to prompt a player to take advantage of the moment and not lose it. But there is a difference between yelling "Shoot!!... Shoot!!" to an attacking player inside the 6 who just beat a goalkeeper, two defenders are closing ranks,

Mom and Dad's investment in soccer is not just money. It's shopping for stuff, replacing stuff, cleaning stuff, picking up stuff, vacuuming the lawn of dead grass and astro turf bits that multiply in corners, cleaning scuff marks from car footwells, cleaning scuff marks from walls, scooping up a never ending tide of water bottles, and patching up boo boo's. It's choosing not to do something we want to do in favor of driving, fighting traffic, sitting (or sleeping) in parking lots, talking with people we don't necessarily like and wouldn't choose to hang out with, getting rained on, shivering under blankets, and rooting till our voices crack for movements we don't understand. Some do, of course, but many moms and dads don't really understand the game. Providing a better understanding of the game and the soccer ecosystem is, of course, one of the reasons The Soccer Sidelines was created.And, in the interest of fairness, it's not just the soccer moms doing all of this work. I see a lot of both moms and dads on the sidelines over the weekends, but I suspect it's the soccer moms as a general rule, who tend to find themselves doing a lot of this. I might make reference to "soccer mom," but I'm really referring to anyone who takes on this role. Motherhood is a great honor and privilege yet it is also synonymous with servanthood. Every day women are called upon to selflessly meet the needs of their families. Whether they are awake at night nursing a baby spending their time and money on less-than-grateful teenagers or preparing meals moms continuously put others before themselves.Charles StanleyThe BurdensIf the first step to fixing a problem is admitting that we have one, then I think we have an opportunity to admit a few things here. Mom's and dads might not consider what they do a burden. Our kids are, after all, the whole reason we get to wear the parent title, and being a parent is not something any of us would give up. The activities we do for our kids, however, are not always as enjoyable as they could be. I'm not going to make a claim that when you're done listening to this episode, that you will suddenly enjoy sleeping in a parking lot, but I will do my best to at least frame some of our burdens in a way that is easier to accept. AppreciationThe first of the burdens I'd like to draw attention to is simultaneously one of the easiest ones and one of the hardest ones we can address. The soccer mom uber is under appreciated. It's not hard to say "thank you for driving me," or "thanks for taking me shopping," or "thanks for cleaning up the mess I left today." However, it is hard to remember to say those things - especially when no one is going to remind us to do so. A "thank you..." goes a really long way. Sometimes, it's all that is needed to show appreciation and give mom or dad the energy to get up the next day and do it all over again. Never underestimate the power of gratitude!If you are one of my listening audience who doesn't stand a snowball's chance in a broiler of ever getting a thank you, I have a gift for you. Thank you for doing what you do. Thank you for paying the bills. Thank you for registering on time. Thank you for driving; for doing the shopping; for sacrificing your car; for cleaning up pounds of dirt, grass, and astroturf; and for cheering for our

We have experienced a lot of rain this past week and a half. We were able to get games in last Saturday, but practices were all called off this past week. As we wind down the end of the Spring season and look forward to the summer, many Clubs are facing several months of no soccer program. With kids sitting under shelter this week - many in front of video games, and we look at potentially 3 months of soccer down time, it got me thinking about what we can do to improve our game off the pitch. The Magic Doesn't All Happen on The PitchSome people may believe that soccer players are forged under the watchful eye of a coach and a plan. Real soccer players know, however, that great soccer players are forged in the moments between practices and games. Skills don't come in 90 minute increments 1-3 times per week. Practices are where we get the basics and have a chance to work with our team, learn team strategies to apply during games, and correct bad habits. It's the stuff we do at home and in our free time that makes the biggest difference. We control our own destiny. Doing the "Just One Thing" ThingThere is always one thing we can be doing to improve.I think I picked this concept up from my days in the military. I call it "just one thing." It reminds me that no matter how bad the circumstances, there is always one thing we can do to improve our situation. Prisoners of war find themselves in unimaginable hardship situations. If you've read or heard stories from people who have had to endure really bad things, there is a common thread among those who survive: they are always focusing on the one thing they can do to improve their situation. Think about the last long car ride you took. I'm talking about 300 miles or more - the distance many American cars can travel before needing to get some more gas. It takes hours of sitting in a car seat to get to the next waypoint. Sometimes, something as simple as shifting your foot, putting on cruise control and stretching, or slipping a rolled up jacket behind your lower back can make a big difference. When you're driving tired, opening a window, taking a sip of something cold, turning on some music, or listening to a good book on your mobile device can be huge. Little things are sometimes just what we need to make things a little better. If our goal is to be a better soccer player, what little things can we do to improve our game when the weather keeps us off the field. Five Things We Can Do on Bad Weather DaysExerciseExercise is always good for improving your game. Do stuff you've done at practice or try some stuff you don't normally do. The possibilities are endless. Soccer players can sometimes neglect upper body training. 50 pushups per day are a great way to help balance the body and develop upper body strength. Jumping rope is great for developing fast twitch muscle and aerobic fitness. Core work is awesome for soccer players. The stronger the core, the stronger everything else will be. Watch a Soccer GameWatching soccer games - pro games, college games, local high school games - these have long been lauded by the coaching community as an excellent way to improve your soccer IQ. Watching games with commentary gives you a birds-eye perspective of what's going on. You get to see techniques and strategies that have taken years to perfect - something to strive for. Maybe you'll spot some things you'd like to try on your own when the weather clears. Maybe you se something you'd like to talk with friends about. Play Wall BallPlaying against a wall is an awesome way to improve coordination, accuracy, and reflexes. As a coach, I've often prescribed this to older players who started playing a little late and need to catch up with their foot skills. Those who actually find a wall and work on always come back noticeably more skilled. This is good for any soccer player who wants to improve a little - no matter what the age or skill level.

Who is Youth Sports For?Sometimes we forget one of the most important elements in youth sports - who everybody is working for. It's not the coach, the Club President, mom or dad... it's our future. It's our future expressed by, shaped by, and executed by our children. I don't mean to suggest that kids have the knowledge or sophistication to tell everybody what to do in the youth sports environment, to modify or enforce the rules, or should be allowed to control the ways things are going - at least not in an explicit way or across the board. I am providing a thesis that that there is a meta message that runs through a youth sports environment that is deeper than the construction of a soccer session, a team record, or the way age brackets are mapped out or advanced. We are using our collective skills and experience to create an environment for our kids that will allow them to absorb critical life skills with the hope that they will carry those skills into the future. The youth sports environment is not designed to be a babysitter. The soccer field is not a place to drop our kids off and keep them entertained while we run errands or go take a nap. Youth sports was designed as a way for our generation to invest in our future. It's an approach to add value and realize yield on an investment in the human race. It's a deliberate and sophisticated learning and value add platform. Coaching and Parenting Is Like FarmingI'm not an authority on farming, but I have my stereotypes. I see farmers as experts in making things grow. They grow crops and raise animals. Our lives literally depend on their ability to work with nature and be good at what they do. So it's from a position of respect that I offer the analogy. Nobody - not most ordinary people anyway - really knows what to do with a seed or a package of seeds that hasn't been identified yet. If we don't know what a seed is or what it will become, we don't know what it needs to survive, right?I'm betting that if you hand a skilled farmer a package of seeds, the first question is going to be where did this package come from? Some of what seeds will become is the result of the adult plants that produced them. The farmer wants to know: what am I working with? As a coach, this is usually one of my first questions too. Planting seeds is a lot different than raising humans though. Humans are more complex. Looking at a set of parents isn't always a good indicator of what a young human is going to grow into. Kids can be completely different from their parents. We don't get to choose who our kids will become. It's not completely random, but it can seem random. If we take a random seed problem to a farmer, he or she will probably tell us that we just need to plant the seeds to see what grows. We need to provide fertile soil, some amount of sunlight, and fertilizer from time to time. The PH and moisture of the soil, the amount of sunlight, and the types and quantities of fertilizer all vary depending on the type of plant we're trying to grow. Sometimes we think we're planting one thing, and another thing starts to grow in its place. Such it is with humans. If a skilled farmer wants whatever he or she is planting to grow strong and healthy, they need to adapt the conditions to give whatever is growing the best chance of survival. If a farmer sees tomatoes coming up, they know they need stakes and scaffolding to support the fruited branches. If they see citrus, they know they will need lots of sunshine. If they see mangos, they know they will need warm and moist soil. "Our job in youth sports is to get our players off to a strong start. We want them to have the best possible chance to survive and thrive once they are on their own. Our kids will carry our future in directions we can not fully prepare for. We need the sophistication and maturity to tune in to what our kids want and need, find a way to give it to them, and get out of the way.

Who is Responsible for Safety in Youth Sports?

Players

Parents

Coaches

Referees

Host Org

Pre-Season

checkBe sure to be fit enough for the stresses of youth sports on the body and mind. If you need help addressing any of these items, seek help from a parent or coach.

In-Season

checkHydrate the day before youth sports activities. Not only will you be able to maintain your body core temperature better, but you will help to prevent injuries, and keep your energy level high. See Episode #6 _The real and profound impact of dehydration on performance.

checkProtect your team mates and your opponents from injury. This means not doing anything that could put another player at risk.

checkRemove anything that might get caught or cut another player.

checkWear all safety equipment as required or recommended by your club.

checkPick your teammates up during games and practices. There is no good reason to let a fellow teammate get down on themselves for making mistakes. We all make mistakes - that's part of the growth process. If we're not making mistakes, we're not learning at our full capacity. Celebrate when others make mistakes - it shows that they are trying.

checkCommunicate with parents and coaches. Don't assume everyone else will get stuff done for you.

checkRecover when needed - from after events - from after injuries - from whenever a head injury might be suspected.

Pre-Season

checkGetting physicals 

checkRegistration 

checkInsurance information 

checkWaivers signed

In-Season

checkGetting physicals, registration, insurance information, and waivers signed

checkTransportation (including youth protection and in-transit safety), drop-off or stay?

checkBeing "on-call" during events incase help is needed.

checkPurchase of proper safety equipment.

checkBe there at pickup time.

checkFollowing rehab procedures.

checkHelping encourage stretching, sleep, nutrition, and hydration.

Pre-Season

checkGetting registered, background investigations,

checkEducation - make sure you know what is age appropriate, the appropriate 17-laws for your age group, sports medicine/ first aid, nutrition/hydration... 

checkPlanning for emergencies - know where the hospitals are and how to activate EMS - most people would just dial 911, but in some areas, EMS can't treat minors without parental consent. Do you know your area's laws?

checkSetting up the coach's clipboard: roster, emergency contacts, medical waivers and conditions, emergency procedures for venues.

checkPre-season parent meeting

In-Season

checkPre-activity field safety check

checkPre-activity player safety check - are they healthy? former concussions? Hydrated? wearing safety equipment. Not wearing unsafe items (casts, jewelry, etc)

checkCarrying the coach's clipboard to every activity.

checkEnsuring YPT and physical security for all of your players. Enlisting the help of parents.

checkKeeping an eye out for player's welfare (hydration status, physical injury, emotional stress, parent interventions, concussion protocols)

checkMaintaining supervision and safety for all players until relieved by parent or guardian.

Pre-Season

checkEducation

checkMentoring 

checkFitness 

checkExperience 

checkJudgement

In-Season

checkOnce the referee arrives, they have control over the venue, game, and surrounding activities. This continues for the duration of the game.

checkSafety checks of field and conditions.

This is About Your MissionFundraising is about finding more fuel for your club or organization. We simply can't do what our mission calls us to do without money.As a youth sports club, a school, or a not-for-profit, even if you think you're all set, the reality is: there are people we could and should be serving, who we can't reach without capital.In the USA, youth clubs are funded primarily through membership or registration fees (bottom up). Some clubs get sponsorships, many do fundraisers, some offer additional clinics and camps. Every Club needs money for one really good reason: not everyone who should play can afford to pay. There is a lot of talented kids out there that we really want playing soccer, but they can't afford to pay even modest fees. In Europe, the big networks fund football (soccer) clubs. Money flows down from big pipes into smaller pipes and eventually ends up in the form of subsidized play, resident camps, and so on. In the USA, money flow up from individual wallets. That means some just can't afford soccer. How Are Organizations Raising Money Today?Our options are limitless. The strength of our imagination is the only limiting factor - and that can be stretched by exposure to new ideas. What kinds of ideas do you have for fundraising? Please leave a comment in the comment's section below so everyone can benefit from our collective experience. David DejewskiCoach / Club President / PodcasterHere are a few ideas that I've run across over the years:IdeaApproximate $ ValueAdditional BenefitsAsk Members for DonationsVaries - based on financial well being of donors and perceived strength of the missionCan be an opportunity to deepen relationshipsCar WashA few hundred dollarsTeam building and funCamps / ClinicsVaries, but start at $10 / player+ relationship and skills building+ possible new opportunities for players + strategic alliances to bring more value / resources to the mission. Custom Balls and GearPennies to dollars per item+ get more gear that people will use + promotional materialSpiritWearVaries on items - tens to thousands+ promotion and prideTournamentsVaries by type and region - hundreds to tens of thousands+ promotion of the sport+ fun for kids and parentsAgreements with local restaurants$150 - $250 per 2 hour block+ easy+ potential gathering placeMulch Sales$5k to $20k depending on organization and local market+ hard work+ lots of logistics+ team buildingCandy, Popcorn, etcSpread on each item - usually pennines to a few dollars per sale+ easy to understand. + get's members out into the communitySelling Discount Subscriptions to local and national business specials and discounts$1,500 - $25,000 - depending on organization size and participation+ relationships with local businesses+ good will in the community+ savings for members+ exposure in local economy+ ease of sales via text, social media, email, and face-to-face+ reporting and tracking of progress* Ask members for donations* Car Wash* Custom Balls and Gear* Spiritwear* Tournaments* Agreements with local restaurants* Mulch Sales* Candy, Popcorn, etc* Selling Discount Subscriptions to local and National Business specials and discountsSee the full table with approximate dollar value and additional benefits on an iPad or a computerGet Your Own Fundraiser Manager PlatformBuilding Good Will in the CommunityAll organizations need to get along well with others. If you run a not-for-profit, chances are you have a collection of people who support your cause and want the best from the community around them. By bringing the best that local businesses offer to your membership, both your membership and local businesses should benefit. With a fundraiser like this, you are doing a service in your community by promoting a healthy economy. The more people use the discounts we've served up for them, the more money they save on things they would normally buy and the more revenue local businesses will realize.

Defining Competition in Youth SportsCompetition should be managed like a prescription drug. It's really great for creating certain chemistries, but there should be warnings on the label. Mis-use or overuse of competition can be bad for your health. In this article, we explore the concept of competition in youth sports and share some perspectives from both sides of an ongoing argument. Competition by itself is neither good nor bad. It is simply defined as the activity or condition of competing. It's how we frame competition and how we implement it that makes the difference between constructive competition vs destructive competition. As with all things, we have choices. Taken in moderation and in the proper context, a wide variety of the things we sample in life are healthy. Apples are good for us, but eating a dozen in one session will give us a stomach ache. Non-steroidal anti inflammatory medications can reduce swelling and pain, but ingesting a bottle at one time will kill our liver. Making a soccer match competitive can push every player on the team to perform at their best. Making that same match too competitive or make it competitive off the pitch (between parents and coaches), and feelings can get hurt, bad behaviors can be brought out, and kids can be driven from he game altogether. It is our responsibility as adults to understand the differences between healthy and unhealthy competition - and how to communicate competition (to give it context). We have to place and maintain a healthy wrapper of safety around our players to ensure we don't introduce unhealthy competition or messages into the mix. A dad booming across the field to "Take that kid out!" or someone exhibiting celebratory behavior when a player from the opposing team gets hurt: these are two examples of  unhealthy competition and unhealthy messaging that can negatively affect our kids.Car rides home can be equally toxic. When mom or dad is bad mouthing the referee or the coach, building excuses for a loss or pointing fingers for something that didn't work out the way we wanted - each of these behaviors contribute to an unhealthy dynamic that our kids can and do pick up on and internalize. They carry those behaviors forward in life and can become overly critical of others, of themselves, and/or fail to take responsibility for their own actions. checkDrives us to learn at a faster rate and perform at a higher levelcheckTeaches us to bring our best effortcheckHelps us to manage nervescheckTeaches us not to fear competitioncheckTeaches us to take riskscheckTeaches kids how to cope when things don't go their waycheckHelps kids with goal settingcheckTeaches kids good work ethicscheckTeaches kids to play by the rulescheckTeaches kids to win and lose with gracecheckTeaches time managementcheckCompetition can build self-esteemcheckCompetition can teach commitmentcheckBuilding esprit de corpscheckCompetition can help kids to perform better in schoolcheckUnhealthy Performance PressurecheckInappropriate feelings of superioritycheckSelf esteem tied to sport performancecheck Deep diving into one sport can limit exposure and athletic IQcheckOveruse injuriescheckLosing the "fun" in sport, ultimately driving kids away from athletic activities by their mid-teenscheckPoor examples of sportsmanship. Showing kids the wrong way to behavecheckObjectifying players for the sake of sideline entertainmentcheck"Adultizing" kids well before their timecheckIt can lead to demoralizing or bullying behaviorcheckDelusions of scholarship opportunitiescheckStrained relationships with parentscheckMore focus on "WHETHER" kids win vs "HOW" kids winThe positives work when we, as adults, get deliberate about framing competition in a healthy way. If the coach or the parents are too focused on whether or not kids are winning, rather than HOW they are winning, the scales begin to tilt in the negative direction. ""Wake up out there!," "What's wrong with you?!,

Being able to connect and empathize with teammates and our opponents is a powerful skill that youth sports helps us to develop. In this episode, we talk about learning empathy through youth sports - what it looks like, good examples, bad examples, and some things to look if you're coaching character development in your program. Too often, we overlook the lesson of empathy through youth sports as soft or less valuable than other lessons, but as we'll discover, this can be one of the more important lessons our kids can learn in the youth sports environment. "Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another and feeling with the heart of another"- Alfred Adler* What is Empathy and why is it so important in life?* How does youth sports help kids to develop empathy? * How do we deliberately create an environment where empathy can grow?* How can Empathetic kids and parents improve the game of soccer and elevate the sport?"Empathy, which implies a shared interpersonal experience, is implicated in many aspects of social cognition, notably prosocial behavior, morality and the regulation of aggression."Jean DecetyCenter for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience, Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, University of ChicagoEmpathy as a Key IngredientAnyone who has worked for someone else for any length of time understands that there are differences between "bosses" and "leaders." Totally task oriented, overlooking the human elements - if the person in charge lacks empathy, employees are often miserable. It is said that when people are dissatisfied at work, they leave their bosses, not their jobs.There is a difference between the "Boss" and the leader: Empathy. Taken to the extreme, a lack of empathy is seen along a spectrum of personality disorders from narcissism to antisocial personality disorders. We might make an argument that Empathy is one of those traits that act like social glue that holds people together in communities. It allows us to experience other important emotions like respect for others and remorse when we've done something to hurt someone. People leave managers, not companies."Marcus Buckingham, Author and Speakerhttps://www.marcusbuckingham.com/The Advantage of Learning Empathy Through Youth SportsYouth sports helps kids to develop and mature Empathy. From the first time they take a knee at a soccer match in respect for a fallen colleague, to each time they encounter the natural coupling of a win and a loss, kids mix and journey with one another through literally thousands of events each season.Practices offer chances for kids to see one another push themselves - or not. They get to choose whether to offer encouragement when a team mate is down, or run past them. They see one another when they are making mistakes and may be feeling vulnerable. Kids can choose to taunt and belittle one another into action, or they can choose to lift one another to greatness. Kids take cues from the adults in their lives as to how they should behave. In the learning process, they try different adult examples on for size. They might try yelling at one another, calling out "wake up out there!" or "what's wrong with you?!" Or they may choose to take the shot every time, or to intentionally pass the ball to a team mate who needs to build a little confidence shooting on goal. Often, the kids show demonstrate Empathy on a sports field are the ones who bubble up to the surface over time as team leaders - even when they are not the most technically gifted player on the team. Kids can choose to taunt and belittle one another into action, or they can choose to lift one another to greatness."David Dejewski, Coach and President of the Damascus Soccer ClubWHAT DOES Empathy - OR LACK OF Empathy - IN YOUTH SPORTS LOOK LIKE?Positive Examples* Junior, a high school player, puts his arm around an opponent after a game who is clearly upset and says "you guys are getting much be...

A low single digit percentage of kids across all youth sports are going to go on to play their sport at the collegiate level. If these are the statistics, then kids need to be in youth sports to get much more than a scholarship or a simple athletic experience.  I've been arguing for several years now that youth sports is an ideal platform for creating thousands of teachable moments, but we need to be more deliberate about it. We're going to get so much more from youth sports if we deliberately mine the experience for life lessons than if we simply allow it to happen through serendipity. What Does Integrity - or Lack of Integrity - in Youth Sports Look Like?Positive ExamplescheckKevin, a high school player, commits a handball foul in the opponent's penalty box. The referee calls a foul on the other team (he didn't see the play well). Kevin admits to the referee that it was he who should draw the foul. checkA Club parent receives a uniform kit they hadn't paid for. They go out of their way to call the Club and arrange for payment to be made. checkMaking Commitments and Keeping ThemcheckStepping over a piece of trash on the field, then deciding to go back and pick it up because it's the right thing to do.checkShowing up on timeNegative ExamplesBlood DopingCheatingLyingDoing things behind the official's backbanIntentionally causing Injury to another because you can get away with itbanStopping at level 10 during beep test when you know you could go furtherbanSecretly (to everyone else but that one person) Not Shaking Hands After a MatchbanSaying one thing and doing anotherbanAlways being latebanMaking excusesbanPretending to be sick or injuredRewardsImmediate Verbal RecognitionTeam Bench ChatsEnd of Season Party AwardstrophyClub AcknolwegdmentstrophyClub Leaderboards for IntegritytrophyNewsletter ArticlestrophyPatches to Wear on Spirit-wear or Uniform ItemstrophyLetter or Email to ParentstrophyAbility to Wear a Captain's Arm BandtrophyOther Bling for Season Over-all Integrity award (like a custom ball, headband, or juggling training tool)​​​​​How to be deliberate about Developing integrityClarify the PrincipleGetting clear about the specific behaviors you want to celebrate in the youth sports environment is a critical first step. Getting this in writing empowers your organization to get it into parent manuals and coach's training. Clarity around the subject of integrity will mature over time, but step 1 is to just get started. Look for OpportunityOnce the picture is clearly written down and baked into coach's training and parent guides, we need to be on the lookout for example behaviors. Identifying them and not taking them for granted is an important step. Once we recognize these behaviors in the youth sports environment, it's time to act. Reward BehaviorCoaches and parents should be empowered to take action to reward behaviors spelled out in step 1. This may be through immediate verbal rewards, patches, or even submitting email about the behavior so it can be recognized in newsletters and at end-of-season parties. The point is to reward the behaviors we want to see more of. Be ConsistentConsistency is the thing that gives a development program like this life and longevity. Consistency across coaches, between parents, and over time is needed or the program can devolve into a spaghetti mess of loose threads. Getting this in writing and reviewing it annually is a great way to ensure consistency. ​​​​A Culture of Accountability - The Partner to ​IntegrityAs much as we sometimes don't like to admit it, human beings aren't the best at being honest or committing to a course of action. Take a look at gym membership numbers between the months of January and June for evidence of this. Millions of people make and break New Year's resolutions every year. We do pretty well, however, when we help one another out. Two or more people who commit to the same thing or to each other have a much better ...

Concussions may as well be called "the invisible injury." They happen to an organ which is completely enclosed by bone and usually covered by hair. It's hard to see a concussion - and consequently, it is often underestimated. In this episode, we describe concussive injuries, put them in context of soccer related activities, explain how to recognize them, how to respond to them, how the sport is working to minimize them, and some specific things (and equipment) that you can do or buy to help protect the young athletes in your life. Concussions OverviewKnowingA concussion is like a bruise to the brainTypically invisible to the lay personCaused by impact of the brain organ with the inside of the craniumClassified as Major, Minor, and Sub-ConcussiveCan accumulate over timeCan be seen by microscope even when not found by an MRI or CT scanRecognizingSigns vs SymptomsWitnessed eventDazed or stunnedClumsy movementAnswers slowlyLoses consciousnessMood, behavior or personality changesNausea VomitingHeadache or pressureBothered by light or noiseSluggish, lazy, foggy, or groggyConfusion, concentration or memory problemsReacting​Remove child from the fieldKeep child or teen out of play the day of the gameHave child or teen seen my a health professional experienced in concussion evaluationAsk health care provider for written instructions for returning to school and returning to playResources:* 1“Cumulative Brain Injury Develops From a Variety of Sources.” Autonomic Advantage, www.autonomicrecovery.com/brain-injury-accumulates-from-a-variety-of-sources/.* 2“Is Soccer Really Safer Than Football? Concussion Experts Aren't So Sure.” Traumatic Brain Injury, www.traumaticbraininjury.net/is-soccer-really-safer-than-football-concussion-experts-arent-so-sure/.* 3“Female Soccer Players Suffer the Most Concussions in High School Sports.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 14 Mar. 2017, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170314081533.htm.* 4Boddy, Jessica. “With Concussion Risk In Soccer, Headers May Kick It Up A Notch.” NPR, NPR, 1 Feb. 2017, www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/02/01/512848122/with-concussion-risk-in-soccer-headers-may-kick-it-up-a-notch.* 5Purchase a HALO 3 Protective Headband (Use code "Damascus" for 10% discount at checkout) http://unbouncepages.com/damascus_combo/