DEVELOPING CLUB CULTURE

JASON PRATT

F o u n d e r, P r o C o n n e c t S p o r t s

P a r t n e r s h i p M a n a g e r, P o s i t i v e C o a c h i n g A l l i a n c e

N S C A A c l i n i c i a n ( 2 0 1 4 , 2 0 1 5 c o n v e n t i o n s )

C o l u m n i s t & A u t h o r ( G o a l N a t i o n , S o c c e r J o u r n a l )

C o n g r e s s i o n a l P a n e l M e m b e r, y o u t h s p o r t s

Yo u t h a n d h i g h s c h o o l c o a c h

WHAT IS CULTURE?W HAT CONTRIBUTES TOWARDS YOUR CLUB’S CULTURE?

Ingredients include (among others):

• Club policy

• Competitive level of teams

• Work ethic

• The “true north” on winning vs. development

• Team and club rituals, events, etc.

• Expectations

AGENDADISCUSSION POINTS ON DEVELOPING AN EFFECTIVE CLUB CULTURE

1. Mission Statements

2. The Coach Approach

3. “Managing” Parents

4. Honor The Game Mentality

DEVELOPING YOUR CULTUREFIRST KEY: MISSION STATEMENTS

What is the value and purpose of your Club’s mission statement?

DEVELOPING YOUR CULTUREMISSION STATEMENTS: CULTURAL NAVIGATORS

• Communicates the club’s big-picture focus

• Guides decisions, particularly key / difficult decisions

• Conveys expectations to coaches, parents, players, and leadership

• Provides your “elevator pitch” to communicate the organization’s

core values

DEVELOPING YOUR CULTUREMISSION STATEMENTS: CREATING OR REFRESHING

• Start with a brainstorming session regarding what your organization

aspires to do and to be (not what you feel you currently are)

• Have someone draft the first go at it

• Field test it with coaches, parents, athletes, leadership

• Draft final version for board review / vote

DEVELOPING YOUR CULTUREA SAMPLE MISSION STATEMENT

(Club name) aspires to be an outstanding educational-athletic organization

that provides a high-quality experience to every athlete. A high-quality

experience is one in which every athlete:

• Is coached using the principals of Positive Coaching

• Has fun at practices and games

• Feels like an important part of the team regardless of performance

• Learns “life lessons” that have value beyond the playing field

• Learns the skills, tactics and strategies of the game and improves as a player

We recognize that coaches are the people who most directly make this all

possible. It’s our goal to provide every coach with the tools to succeed as a

positive coach. We are committed to creating a positive culture, in which

coaches, parents, fans, officials and athletes work together to achieve our

mission.

THE COACH APPROACHIMPORTANCE OF TAKING A POSITIVE COACHING APPROACH

What does the term “positive coaching” mean to you?

Definition used by Positive Coaching Alliance:

Creating an atmosphere that supports best possible performance

THE COACH APPROACHIT ’S ABOUT THE KIDS… SO W HAT DO YOU THINK…

What do your soccer players care the most about?:

1) Winning the game

2) The act of competing within the game

THE COACH APPROACHTHERE IS NOT JUST ONE SINGLE WAY TO LEARN

• Understand what the players want and follow their lead

• Utilization of Assistant Coaches, Trainers, etc.

• All coaches need to be on the same page, but be their own person

THE COACH APPROACHKNOW W HEN TO FOLLOW, AND W HEN TO LEAD

THE COACH APPROACHW HO ARE YA?

Just make sure that you are who you think you are and who you want to be!

MANAGING PARENTSHEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS W ITH PARENTS CAN CREATE…

• Open communication to address concerns face to face

• Supportive conversations with player when you are not around

• Best chance of the club holding onto that player

• Good example for the child to see / role model

MANAGING PARENTSSOME KEY COMPONENTS OF A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP

• Parent meetings

• Consistency and credibility

• Unbiased

• Focused on making their child better

MANAGING PARENTSUNHEALTHY PARENT INVOLVEMENT… YA THINK?

HONOR THE GAME MENTALITYSTARTS W ITH DEFINING THE TERM “WINNING”

E

L

M

f for t

earning

is takes are ok

HONOR THE GAMEW HAT DOES THIS TERM MEAN TO YOU?

HONOR THE GAMESPORTSMANSHIP DESPITE OPPORTUNITY

HONOR THE GAMESPORTSMANSHIP DESPITE AN UPHILL BATTLE

SUMMARYIMPACTFUL WAYS TO DEVELOP YOUR CLUB CULTURE

• Ensure that you have a quality mission statement and that it is not a

passive tool

• Focus on the coach approach and don’t be afraid to set expectations

for your teachers

• Work to develop a strong parent relationship for maximum impact

• Honor the game

CONTACT ME ANYTIME

Jason Pratt

484-588-0535

jason.pratt@positivecoach.org

jpratt@proconnectsports.net

www.devzone.positivecoach.org