Supporting Excellence, Character, & Fun!

Honor The Game

Adapted from the Positive Coaching Alliance.

Winners Are More Than the Score!


Being a winner comes though Mastery of the game rather than a scoreboard orientation. Victory is a by-product of the pursuit of excellence in the time coming up to the game. A winner is someone who makes maximum effort, continues to learn and improve, and doesn’t let mistakes (or fear of mistakes) stop them. Coaches & parents can make a big difference in how these concepts are experienced by players and whether they take them forward in to life's arena.







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Fill Players’ Emotional Tanks

All players need a positive motivator who refuses to motivate through fear, intimidation, or shame. Parents and   coaches have the opportunity to fill their player's "Emotional Tank" like the gas tank of a car. Just as a car with an empty gas tank can’t go very far, a player with an empty emotional tank doesn't have the energy to do her best.

Specific comments which emphasize effort such as "Great try on that last shot on goal, next time though I'd like to see you try this...." Specific critiques with suggestions on how to do it better are the way to go as opposed to criticism or yelling.

Even more importantly work to remain positive even when things aren't going well. Recognize that it is often when things go wrong that a coach or parent can have the most lasting impact and can teach the most important lessons.

Following our R.O.O.T.S

R is for Rules
Honoring the rules of soccer requires us to learn them and to accept them as the structure of the game. Here is a fine learning tool for the often misunderstood concept of Offsides. This applies to U12 and older play. Check out this entertaining video. 

 Offsides Call Video                       Click-it Video on Rules of Soccer


O is for Opponents
Honoring our opponents on the soccer field means more than a handshake at the end of the game. It means treating our opponents, their parents, and their coaches as we would want to be treated... even when the circumstances are difficult. That is being a winner in life. Keep your cheering positive and your comments supportive!

Without an opponent, there would be no competition. Rather than demeaning a strong opponent, we need to honor strong opponents because they challenge us to do our best. Athletes can be both fierce and friendly during the same competition (in one moment giving everything to get to a loose ball, and in the next moment helping an opponent up). Coaches showing respect for opposing coaches and players sets the tone for the rest of the team.

O is for Officials

Respecting officials, even when we disagree with their calls, may be the toughest part of Honoring the Game. We must remember that officials are not perfect (just like coaches, athletes and parents!). What strategies do you have to keep yourself in control when you start to get upset with officials" calls? We must remember that the loss of officials (and finding enough in the first place) is a major problem in most youth sports organizations, and we can confront this problem by consistently respecting officials.

Take a moment and thank an official for their time after a game. Finding and keeping good officials is important to all our players.


T is for Teammates

It's easy for young athletes to think solely about their own performance, but we want athletes to realize that being part of a team requires thinking about and respecting one"s teammates. This respect needs to carry beyond the field/gym/track/pool into the classroom and social settings. Athletes need to be reminded that their conduct away from practices and games will reflect back on their teammates and the league, club, or school.


S is for Self
Athletes should be encouraged to live up to their own highest personal standard of Honoring the Game, even when their opponents are not. Athletes" respect for themselves and their own standards must come first.


INTRODUCING THE ELM TREE OF MASTERY

TO YOUR CHILD

At the start of the season, let your players know that:

  • You will always be proud of them as long as they give 100% effort (regardless of the outcome on the scoreboard).n You want them to constantly strive to learn and improve. This involves them comparing their own performance to their own performance (i.e. Are they better than they were two weeks ago?).
  •  Mistakes are an inevitable part of the game. If they are giving 100% and trying new things (as they strive to improve), mistakes are bound to occur, and the best players are those who find ways to quickly bounce back from mistakes.
  • Teams that focus on giving their full effort, constantly learning and improving, and bouncing back from mistakes, actually win more than teams who consistently focus on the scoreboard.
  • You want your child to focus on the ELM Tree of Mastery (Effort, Learning and Mistakes) because players who do this well are less anxious during competition and have a greater sense of confidence in themselves and their abilities.




 To honor the game we look to our R.O.O.T.S. -


  • RULES - Honor the rules you play by for rules allow us to play fair.  

OPPONENTS - Honor the opponents you play.  Without an opponent there would be no competition.

OFFICIALS - Honor the officials who serve you.  They are fallible as are we all but that too is a part of the game.

TEAMMATES - Honor the teammates you play with.  They are your brothers and sisters both on and off the field.

SELF - And honor yourself by living up to the highest personal standards.  To win in life is true success

Learn More About Honor the Game


adapted from the Positive Coaching Alliance.


 

RMAYSA 

      P.O. Box 8124    

Rocky Mount, NC 27804


RMAYSA President
Brent Watkins Email


RMAYSA Registrar

Rebecca Watkins Email