I teach athletes how to have a winning attitude.  Not about winning games or matches.

Nowadays, you might hear or read things about parents or “child welfare” type organizations who talk about “pushing kids too far” or “putting too much pressure on kids to win”.  

And there is a lot more talk these days about kids getting burnt out. There are certain parents and instructors who do cause this to happen.  

Just go to any little league game and you’ll see it – parents and coaches screaming at players and sometimes at each other.  

But that’s not what this (sports training) is about, at least it shouldn’t be for you and your athletes.

I starting doing this because I wanted to help kids get better at a game they love.  

Helping athletes set goals

I also like the idea of teaching kids to have goals and to overcome obstacles (not only in sports, but maybe in life, too).

Never once in my lessons with players or in my conversations with parents have I said  anything about winning more games or anything like that.

What I do talk about when I first start working with a player is that I will help them to develop fundamental skills. 

I also work with them to achieve certain goals they have in terms of the lessons.  

For basketball, this means becoming a better free throw shooter, getting good at dribbling, etc., and even how to be better mentally.

A winning attitude (about everything)

As an example, in my basketball lessons, I worked with a young girl who had problems with layups.  

After only 20 minutes, I had her doing layups smoothly.

I stopped her and said to her: “I just saw you go from not being able to shoot layups on either side, to being able to do them on BOTH sides  with ease.  Now you know that you can get better at just about anything if you practice and work at it.”

Now, hopefully for the rest of her life, she realizes that if she has problems with something, or she comes across a tough situation (not just in basketball), she knows that she can work her way through it, even if it takes awhile.  

And that’s what a winning attitude is.

(That’s why I also like to incorporate video analysis into lessons and training, so that each athlete can burn this attitude of overcoming obstacles and achieving success into their minds.)

That’s one of the many mindsets I like to stress with the players I work with. It’s not just about basketball (or whatever sport they might play).

Helping them get to another level

If a player I’m working with is already skillful, and is already a “good” player, I can help them develop additional skills that will help them to the next level.

Or give them an extra edge if they come up against a player of equal skill.

For them, it’s more about how they approach the game and how they think about the game.

Other times, working with free throw shooters who are already good, I explain to them how I will help them get that “in the zone” stroke, and stay there (in the zone) longer.

But no matter what skill level they are on, what I’m doing with all the players I work with is showing them that there’s a way to build a disciplined approach to improvement that goes beyond just the sport they play.  

That’s the winning attitude I’m trying to help them develop.

What I’m doing with all the players I work with is showing them a way to build a disciplined approach to improvement that goes beyond just the sport they play

So it’s a special kind of attitude you need to focus on with this business and the sport you teach. 

 Don’t listen to all those whiners about pushing kids too hard.  Remember, the parents and players who come to you want to be there.

        (If you do come across a player who you think doesn’t want to be there with you, but the parents insist, then it’s your responsibility to tell the parents that you will not do the training because you feel that their child doesn’t want to be there.  I have to say though, that I’ve never run into this kind of situation with my business).

All the kids will love it, if you make it interesting for them.