Best way I have found to motivate 8-10 year olds? No offense, but teach them something.
Here's the deal, what do you see when one of these little ones gets a hit, fields a hard hit ball cleanly, makes a good catch or throws someone out? A SMILE, from ear to ear. So how do we accomplish that? The key is to get them to buy in to what you are selling. Last season I had an 8U team myself. At the beginning I had several people tell me they thought they were in over their head for 8U, and that I was asking too much. Some even considered quitting. I politely asked them to, buy in 100%, help out and give me some time. Then, if they thought it was too much we would talk.
Needless to say nobody quit and all of my girls, and parents, had a great time. Here are some signs of success from last year:
1. Started 0-3-2 with a few blowouts and finished 15-5-3 loosing in the semifinal of our league tournament.
1. I had (3) of my parent assistants take teams of their own this fall, and (2) more will be taking teams in the spring.
2. (1) Girl quit soccer and (2) more quit dance.
Now if that isn't success I don't know what is! Don't short anyone the opportunity to learn and improve. Give them all the tools to improve, and opportunities to play other positions. What they do with those tools is up to them. Problem is that often times in rec sports kids inadvertently get wrong info from the volunteer coaches and as a result they do not improve. So as you get them down the line you have to get them to trust what you are saying is correct and to buy in. Easier said than done, but once they make that play or get that hit they are hooked and so are the parents.
So many times I have asked coaches "when you draft next spring are you going after the girls on your team first, or girls from other teams?" Often they say "oh, those other girls because they are better". My response, "then you are not doing your job!" Bottom line win or lose please make sure your girls learn something! Not everyone can hit well and not everyone can field or throw well, but they can all run the bases. I have yet to see these girls smile after a season of not hitting or making a play. So, for all the do good'ers out there, winning isn't everything, but losing and or lack of success stinks period!
Here's the deal, what do you see when one of these little ones gets a hit, fields a hard hit ball cleanly, makes a good catch or throws someone out? A SMILE, from ear to ear. So how do we accomplish that? The key is to get them to buy in to what you are selling. Last season I had an 8U team myself. At the beginning I had several people tell me they thought they were in over their head for 8U, and that I was asking too much. Some even considered quitting. I politely asked them to, buy in 100%, help out and give me some time. Then, if they thought it was too much we would talk.
Needless to say nobody quit and all of my girls, and parents, had a great time. Here are some signs of success from last year:
1. Started 0-3-2 with a few blowouts and finished 15-5-3 loosing in the semifinal of our league tournament.
1. I had (3) of my parent assistants take teams of their own this fall, and (2) more will be taking teams in the spring.
2. (1) Girl quit soccer and (2) more quit dance.
Now if that isn't success I don't know what is! Don't short anyone the opportunity to learn and improve. Give them all the tools to improve, and opportunities to play other positions. What they do with those tools is up to them. Problem is that often times in rec sports kids inadvertently get wrong info from the volunteer coaches and as a result they do not improve. So as you get them down the line you have to get them to trust what you are saying is correct and to buy in. Easier said than done, but once they make that play or get that hit they are hooked and so are the parents.
So many times I have asked coaches "when you draft next spring are you going after the girls on your team first, or girls from other teams?" Often they say "oh, those other girls because they are better". My response, "then you are not doing your job!" Bottom line win or lose please make sure your girls learn something! Not everyone can hit well and not everyone can field or throw well, but they can all run the bases. I have yet to see these girls smile after a season of not hitting or making a play. So, for all the do good'ers out there, winning isn't everything, but losing and or lack of success stinks period!
