Coaching Center

At some point during a season, a team, regardless of the sport or level of play, will under-perform. But as much psychological pain and even physical discomfort as the slump may inflict on a coach, remaining positive is a coach's only choice.

A good youth sports coach needs to be both a leader and a manager in order to be successful. The difference between the two is a subtle but important one says a longtime youth baseball coach.

While there a wide variety of coaching styles, techniques and philosophies in youth sports, there are a few qualities that separate good coaches from great ones. A nationally-recognized performance coach explains that there are a few rules of thumb all coaches should follow.

In an inspiring and thought-provoking SmartTeams Talk, Coach for America founder and former NFL player, Joe Ehrmann, offers four specific ways coaches can use their unique position in a society in which sports is our "secular religion" to transform the lives of their players and reclaim sports' educational, social and ethical role.

We must present examples of positive leaders with integrity and the values we want to instill in our children, says a longtime baseball coach, and the athletic field provides players with the opportunity to learn and test those values.