U.S. Center for SafeSport

Leading with Positivity Makes a Difference

SUPPORT AND RESPECT DEFINE COACHING PRACTICES ROOTED IN SUCCESS

Youth swimmers in a pool on a sunny day with their coach, wearing a blue polo shirt and cap, looks on

From leading warm-up drills to coaching the final moment of a pivotal match, as a coach, the way you interact with athletes and conduct yourself before parents, officials, and other coaches has a major impact on your team’s dynamic. Which is why leading with positivity and respect is essential to setting an individual athlete or a team up for success.

Prioritize Athlete Well-being.

Athletic directors, coaches, and other sport leaders hold a unique position in sport. This powerful, influential role can improve an athlete’s self-esteem, performance, satisfaction with sport, and overall well-being. But differences in power between a coach and an athlete can also be exploited, causing unnecessary harm. Negative coaching practices, like denying water breaks or shaming an athlete, might have been tolerated in the past. But today they’re considered misconduct or abuse.

Effective coaches recognize that they’re coaching people rather than athletes. They use their skills and knowledge to help athletes stay safe, develop skills, and improve performance. When athletes train and compete in settings that are positive, motivating, and respectful, they’re more relaxed, confident, and willing to test the boundaries of what they believe they can achieve.

The U.S. Center for SafeSport has been a leader in promoting safe environments for all participants in sport since 2017. An independent nonprofit, the Center provides tools, policies, trainings, and other resources to help sport leaders foster settings that are supportive and free of abuse.

Create a Positive Impact.

As a sport leader, you have the opportunity to inspire your athletes to reach their full potential. Leading with compassion and understanding is an important step in creating sport environments where athletes thrive. Here are a few tips:

  1. Model appropriate and respectful behavior. When interacting with athletes, parents, officials, and other coaches, always be respectful. Don’t use slurs or other demeaning language when talking to or about others.
  2. Growth and well-being are more important. Reinforce to athletes that while winning matters, their growth and well-being matter more.
  3. Be consistent. Remain consistent in communicating and holding athletes accountable to core values, expectations, and policies.
  4. Call athletes by the name they want to be called. Take the time to learn how to pronounce names that you find difficult and call transgender and nonbinary athletes by the name and pronouns they use.
Explore Resources

Get SafeSport® Trained.

Creating a positive sport environment is worth striving for. In environments like these, athletes will enjoy the benefits of sport and come back to play, season after season.

The Center offers online trainings for coaches so you can learn techniques for preventing abuse and misconduct on your team. Learn more and explore our trainings at uscenterforsafesport.org/safesport-courses-for-all.

U.S. Center for SafeSport