Positive Coaching Alliance, a Little League Strategic Partner

Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) is a Stanford University-based non-profit dedicated to ensuring a positive, character-building experience for all youth athletes. A Double-Goal Coach has two goals: to Win (goal #1) and the more important goal (#2) of using baseball to teach positive life lessons.

PCA has been a Little League partner since 1998.

Download past issues of Momentum Magazine highlighting the achievements made in creating a positive culture for youth athletes: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011.

 


Building Resilience in Your Child

Second-Goal Parents

Parents impact their children's lives like no other people can...in sports as in every other aspect. Parents, even those millions who coach their own kids, do best by their children when focusing on sports as a developmental opportunity, rather than a do-or-die, win-at-all-cost proposition.

Along the lines of a positive coach being a Double-Goal Coach, who pursues winning and the even more important goal of teaching life lessons through sports, a positive parent is a Second-Goal Parent, who focuses on that Second Goal, the life lessons. Unconditional love for thier children regardless of athletic performance and a relentless commitment to helping them process the ups and downs of youth sports marks the positive sports parent.

The Positive Sports Parent focuses on life lessons through sports, leaving concerns about results in competition to coaches and athletes. Get the Power of Positive.

Get Involved
Get Involved

PCA Development Zone

Youth and high school sports can provide a "Development Zone" environment for developing Better Athletes, Better People, but only if coaches, parents, administrators and student-athletes intentionally make it so. Insuring that young athletes get to learn and compete in a Development Zone Culture (as opposed to a win-at-all-cost culture) is a great gift youth and high school sports leaders can make possible in their communities. Visit the PCA online Development Zone Resource Center for free printable and audio-video tips.

Positive Coaching Alliance Core Concepts

ELM TREE OF MASTERY

Focusing on what you can control is the key to performance and success. Great coaches teach this! And a tremendous body of research backs this up! The scoreboard is an important part of youth and high school sports...but still just a part. Winning is neither everything nor the only thing. While youth learn how to compete, a necessary lesson now and throughout their lives, they also should take a mastery approach to sports. That means focusing on what they can control: their Effort, Learning and ability to persist through Mistakes and adversity.

HONORING THE GAME

Sports provide a great framework for cultivating ethical behavior. Winning and losing gracefully are hallmarks of people equipped to live in and lead a civil society. And learning to treat people with dignity, especially under the pressure of competition, is one of the most valuable life lessons sports can offer. In sports, this is "Honoring the Game," respect for Rules, Opponents, Officials, Teammates and Self. These are the ROOTS of positive competition and a healthy team culture!

 

FILLING EMOTIONAL TANKS

Each person has an "Emotional Tank" that works like the gas tank of a car. When the tank is empty, we go nowhere. When the tank is full, we can go nearly anywhere. Athletes with full E-Tanks feel connected to their team and coach, which enables them to learn, perform and compete better! The best mix for a full Emotional Tank is five parts specific, truthful praise for each piece of constructive correction. 5:1 is the Magic Ratio!

High School Sports Parents Filling Their Athletes' Emotional Tanks

 

MISTAKE RITUAL

This is a technique that helps people quickly acknowledge a mistake and move beyond it, ready for the next needed action. Some rituals include "flushing" mistakes (immediately ridding one's mind of the mistake) and "parking" the mistake for later consideration.



Ask PCA Live

Parents have the opportunity to ask questions about hot topics in youth sports through the PCA Live sessions on Facebook.


ASK PCA


Free Online Parent Course

Positive Coaching Alliance's Free Parent Course

You want the best for your children, leaning on Little League® to provide a great environment to facilitate their growth. Get the most out of your Little League experience with the FREE online Parent Course from Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), a Little League national partner since 2006.

ACCESS FREE PARENT COURSE

PCA - a national non-profit developing Better Athletes, Better People through youth and high school sports - offers a Parent Course comprising:

  • Proven, research-based tools that can be easily and immediately implemented
  • The latest in sports- and educational-psychology
  • Practical advice from top pro and college athletes and coaches.


In a matter of minutes, you will learn tips and tools, down to the specific terminology you can use with your children to help them develop resilience, determination, teamwork, and many other character traits that will help them develop as players and as people.


Local Sponsors

Georgia Little League

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Phone: 404-394-1690

Email: [email protected]