It’s As Easy As Encouragement
My favorite spectator sport is watching teammates encourage and lift up their teammates. A simple word of encouragement can give athletes the confidence to try new things aimed at improvement, prompt words of encouragement to teammates, and remind them of your support.
My favorite spectator sport is watching teammates encourage and lift up their teammates. A simple word of encouragement can give athletes the confidence to try new things aimed at improvement, prompt words of encouragement to teammates, and remind them of your support. #DailyMight
Without a doubt my favorite spectator sport is watching teammates encourage and lift each other up. As a pillar of my coaching philosophy, I’ve seen the positive role a little encouragement can have on the attitude, confidence, and performance of youth athletes. I’ve also bared witness to the absence of it. Encouragement coming from a coach is helpful, encouragement coming from a teammate is transcending.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good deeds, and encourage one another.
HEBREWS 10:24
I believe that most athletes want to give and receive encouragement from teammates and coaches. The natural encouragers need little help finding opportunities to lift up. Those that aren’t, just need a little encouragement (see what I did there). That’s where coaches come in. That’s where you come in. A coaching staff that is encouraging to each other first, can illustrate how, and why, encouraging each other is so valuable in a team setting like youth sports.
How To Encourage.
Let’s tackle how first. Encouragement is the action of giving someone support, confidence, or hope. My three favorite things I get to pass along to athletes and each worth a deep dive individually. But you might need a start, and I can help. Encouragement comes easiest through your words (and body language). It can be as easy as a few simple phrases:
- “You are doing awesome!”
- “This is tough, but you’re tougher.”
- “You’re making strides, and I’m so proud of you!”
- “I believe in you and don’t doubt for a minute that you will crush it.”
- “You are completely and unconditionally loved.”
Sure, the phrases may have different wording (and I would expect them to so they can come from an authentic heart), but you get the idea. Encouragement comes from voicing support that you can relate to the circumstance and are available to help. It may be awkward at first, but all new skills can be. Keep doing it, you’re going to crush it!
Why To Encourage.
There is a giant reward for practicing and voicing encouragement and that is confidence. When athletes see, and hear, encouragement either being modeled (by coach to coach) or performed by their teammates, they are inherently more confident in the task or circumstance they are about to face. When they have the support and love from teammates, they have extra motivation to improve because it helps the team. Confidence equals motivation. And that can be a secret ingredient for growth.
There is no magical potion for how to get your athletes to encourage each other. There are, as we walked through, some ways to begin the process of teaching them how though. When coaches model the behavior to other coaches and to athletes, your athletes can emulate it to their teammates too. A simple word of encouragement can give the athlete the confidence to try new things aimed at improvement, prompt words of encouragement to teammates, and remind them of your desire to support them.
Give everything your everything. And then some.
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