WYC 042 – Changing the Game – John O’Sullivan talks Sports Specialization vs Early Engagers

What does it take to be a winning youth coach? Listen in as John O'Sullivan shares stories and discusses his journey to becoming a successful youth sports coach.

John is the founder of the Changing the Game Project - whose mission is to is to ensure that we return youth sports to our children, and put the ‘play’ back in ‘play ball.’  They want to provide the most influential adults in our children’s lives – their parents and coaches – with the information and resources they need to make sports a healthy, positive, and rewarding experience for their children, and their whole family.

John started the Changing the Game Project in 2012 after two decades as a soccer player and coach on the youth, high school, college and professional level.  He is the author of the #1 bestselling books Changing the Game: The Parents Guide to Raising Happy, High Performing Athletes, and Giving Youth Sports Back to our Kids and Is it Wise to Specialize? John is also a regular contributor for SoccerWire.com, and his writing has been featured in many publications including The Huffington Post and Soccer America. John is an internationally known speaker for coaches, parents and youth sports organizations, and has spoken for TEDx, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, IMG Academy, and at numerous other events throughout the US, Canada and Europe.  He resides in beautiful Bend, OR, with his wife, Dr Lauren O’Sullivan, and two wonderful children and aspiring young athletes: Maggie Shea, age 9, and Tiernan, age 7.

Twitter: @coachjohnnyo

Facebook: /SportsParentingResourceCenter

Website/blog: changingthegameproject.com

Listen Now:

Listen in ITunes: Itunes link

Listen in Stitcher: Stitcher link

Coaching/Leadership Quote

'When you are coaching sports - you don't coach a sport, you coach a child' - Dr. Martin Toms

Coaching Your Own Kids

Coaching your own kid is a tough challenge because you are discipling their friends and can off-the-field ramifications

My Cringe & ‘Ah-Ha’ Moments

There is so much to learn as a new coach - early on John didn't realize how powerful his actions and words are as a coach - they will stick with these young people for their lifetime

A-ha moment: John coached a young man in high school - and after college he called John to thank him for the lessons he had taught.  This was eye-opening on the seriousness of the responsibility of coaching young people.

You're going to make mistakes- and that's OK - but use this as an opportunity to be humble and apologize - this is a great example to the kids.

Teaching Children & Keeping it Fun

Dr. Martin Toms': 'When you are coaching sports - you don't coach a sport, you coach a child'

Don't professionalize youth sports - focus on developing the kids, not for the win today.  Long-term goals instead of short-term.  What do kids need from a youth sports coach? - Enjoyment, ownership, and to be intrinsically motivated.

Winning

It very much depends on what/who you are coaching - if you are coaching a prospective olympic gymnast, who's physical activity peaks at 14-15 - you have to start earlier

But for all of us coaching kids ages 6-12- the focus has to be development over winning - so don't not play a kid just because it's a close game

HUGE IDEA #1

Study done by Amanda Visek from George Washington University - asked kids: 'why do you play sports?' - 9 out of 10 answered because it is fun.  Then she asked them to define what fun is: they came up with 81 different characteristics of what fun is - and 'winning' was down at #48 on the list.  Link to article: Fun not winning

Coaching high-level youth soccer - Coach O'Sullivan started every pla...