Foundations of Coach Talk

About this course

Coach Talk Training is not a typical coaching course about the fundamentals of sport, the rules of the game or how to motivate youth athletes. Although these aspects of learning a sport are important, Coach Talk Training focuses on the actual words said by a coach to a youth athlete, the importance of connected language and a structured model for providing positive feedback.The program teaches coaches to identify general terms, abstract words, and sport specific jargon that youth athletes may not understand. The coaches learn how to effectively replace the misunderstood language with descriptive and concrete words, and say them in a concise and connected way to the sport activity.Great coaches want to see their athletes thrive in sport. Coach Talk Training is designed specifically for coaches of youth athletes. Many children enter organized sports at a young age and the hope is they grow to love the sport. In teaching a sport, understanding the developmental curve of children is crucial. One amazing aspect of children is their rate of brain and language development.Many coaches are not prepared to teach sport concepts to youth athletes ages 5 to 15. The Coach Talk Training program teaches coaches how to effectively communicate and provide meaningful feedback to youth athletes so they fully grasp the sport concepts being taught.Coach Talk Training is grounded in child development and language acquisition. The courses and workshops incorporate this knowledge in a practical and usable format to ensure coaches are prepared and feel confident to coach youth athletes to their full potential.

Course objectives

• to improve coaches' communication skills with youth athletes
• to enable coaches to connect language effectively during training
• to build confidence in providing feedback to young athletes