The "win at all cost" attitude shown by many youth sport coaches has caused many kids to drop out of sports. This article presents tips on how coaches can contribute toward their players' development of life skills, leading to increased enjoyment of the game, team unity and ultimately team success.

Understanding the developmental stages of children is crucial for coaches. Equally important is the way adults communicate with children. In his seminal work describing the influence of society and social interactions on the psychosocial development of children, Erikson (1950, 1963) described the developmental crises faced by children at each…