Across sports, there has been a dramatic shift toward earlier and more frequent specialization, leading to a decrease in multi-sport athletes at the high school level. A student-athlete may be able to participate in three high school sports, however it likely precludes them from devoting enough time to a primary, future college sport. The…

Concerns exist about how the landscape of school sports is changing, leaving many school coaches feeling unprepared to meet the challenges of this role today. This article explores the status of school sports coaching by drawing on recent findings from the National Coach Survey, the first-of-its-kind survey in the United States released in 2022.

Due to the significant growth of participants in sports around the world, this article aims to identify the effects of early specialization, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the professionals and people involved in athlete development, especially in the context of soccer. It describes the phases of Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD)…

Cross country has grown in popularity and provides youth with the ability to put into practice both physical capability and mental strength and preparedness. However, such preparedness can also lead to physical injuries such as shin splints, or mental fatigue, which can lead to dropout and/or burnout. Yoga is an activity that has become…

School-age children receive a myriad of physical, social, emotional, and cognitive benefits from being involved in sport, as well as several academic benefits. Children who participate in sport are more likely to have a higher GPA, increased daily attendance, and greater high school graduation rates than their non-sport participating peers.…

Servant leadership is a leadership concept in which leaders put followers first and, by doing so, help both the followers and the leader to grow. This article presents a framework for how captains on sports teams can exhibit the 10 characteristics of servant-leadership. Becoming a servant-leader may help their teammates, team, and themselves grow…

Table tennis, recognized for enhancing personal development and fostering an inclusive learning environment, remains underutilized in educational curricula due to resource constraints and practical challenges in teaching. This article explores the educational value and implementation challenges of table tennis in physical education and proposes…

The aim of this article is to provide a concise overview of the theoretical assumptions of behaviorism, which generally informs "traditional" approaches to sport coaching. B.F. Skinner's (1904--1990) theory of operant conditioning is discussed, alongside considerations for sport coaching practice. For coaches who draw upon the principles…

Highly successful athletes must learn how to optimize factors that facilitate flow and effectively manage factors that inhibit flow. This article explains what coaches can do to push the flow button and motivate athletes to have peak experiences and improved performance.

Coaches serve in a unique role to oversee health and safety with their athletes especially when traveling with the team to sporting events. If there is no athletic trainer to take charge in prevention or management of injuries, the coach will need to assume that role. Coaches should understand the importance of their role and know how to implement…

Helping athletes become their best is a constant challenge for all coaches. Having a model or blueprint for teaching skills and correcting errors is essential for quality coaching. The article explores the concepts associated with deep, deliberate, purpose practice and presents a model for teaching sport skill that we call DP2.

While youth sports can come with numerous mental health benefits, there can also be some risks. Understanding mental health in the context of youth sports involves recognizing the psychological pressures and challenges unique to this environment. This article describes a coaching model that coaches can use to teach coping strategies and…

This article is intended to assist those leading the sport-specific physical preparation of athletes by providing a progressive approach to staging warmups. The approach encourages consideration of the movement and physical demands of the sport and collaboration with technical coaches. The approach includes utilization of specific movement primers…

This article is a compilation of advice for young athletes. This guidance is based on years of research by experts in sports medicine, and strength and conditioning, as well as Olympic and NCAA professionals. By studying athletes who compete at advanced levels, experts can better identify what it takes to become a successful athlete. Since there…

This article serves as a starting point for teachers to understand the core values of martial arts that can be incorporated into physical education to promote social-emotional learning and how to integrate martial arts in physical education.