Meagan Frank is the author of the Choosing to Grow series, a national speaker, writer, teacher, coach, and mother of three. She is a regular contributor to the online magazine Books Make a Difference and she is working on four separate books, including Choosing to Grow for the Sport of It: Because All Kids Matter –Five years of research to justify the choices her family has made with regard to youth sports.

Website: meaganfrank.com











Twitter: @choosingtogrow







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Quote
'Individual commitment to a group effort, that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.' - Vince Lombardi
Coaching your own kids

Each kid and age level has different needs, you have to adapt to the situation
Meagan wore a hat when coaching, so it was clear when she had her hat on, she was coach; when she took the hat off, she was mom

Cringe moments

Don't necessarily emulate who coached you - 'Yelling never works'

Coaching girls

Different drills are needed for each type of girl. Some will respond to game-like competition, others will respond to more cooperative drills.

Teaching skills

Start and end each practice with something fun/positive

Good energy-builders

Blob tag - If you touch them they become part of the blob. You can bring in the parents too

Player Choice practices

Occasionally let the players choose their favorite games, then pick them out of the hat, and that's all you do for practice

Peak performance

Teach kids to flush mistakes
'Tell me one good thing you achieved today'
Have players share shout-outs for each other at the end of practice
The coaches' body language, especially after a mistake, is critical - kids will watch you and emulate your body language

Building Culture

They create a hashtag to reinforce their core value. i.e. #CloseTheGap

Best team building activity

Scavenger hunts - can include conditioning (2 mile run with stops with clues)

Travel sports choices

You have to prioritize your time - don't just blindly sign up for sport after sport.

The one that got away

Meagan's team was struggling, and they were on the verge of winning a game, and she subbed all her players in, and they lost the game.

Best stolen/borrowed idea

Communication - everyone is in the loop. Players, Coaches, parents. They all know philosophy and goals of the program

Favorite Book/Quote

Book - John Wooden's They Call me Coach
Quote - Vince Lombardi: 'Individual commitment to a group effort, that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.'

Parting Advice

Smile. Have fun. It is contagious.



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