April 11, 2017
WYC 113 – Youth Sports – Morgan Sullivan talks 3 P’s: Prepare, progress, push
Morgan Sullivan is a youth sports coach. He has coached his daughter and sons in multiple sports, and is an avid student of coaching. He also shares coaching wisdom on his blog and in his Facebook group Coaches Corner.
Blog: coachmorganssportschannel.wordpress.com
Facebook: /coachmorganscorner/
–
Listen Now:
Listen on iTunes: iTunes link
Listen on Stitcher: Stitcher link
Listen on Google Play Music: Google Play link
–
Quote
‘Push your players to the point of uncomfortable but attainable.’
Coaching your own kids
- Make sure all the players know you are there to coach and treat all the players equally
- Treat all the kids equally – your child shouldn’t have to be 50% better than the next kid to earn a spot – If they earn it, they earn it!
Cringe Moment
- Morgan’s 5 year-old son was running the game-winning touchdown, and his shoe came off and he stopped. They lost the game and Morgan ran out and yelled at his son. Morgan realized he had lost perspective, apologized to his son and the team, and learned to keep perspective during games.
Teaching Skills
- The less talking the coaches do and the more playing the players do, the better it will be for everyone. A quick demonstration goes a long way.
- Use stations. Run from station to station.
Self-Confidence
- Mistakes are learning points. We want mistakes. You only get better by making mistakes.
Championship Culture
- It starts with great assistant coaches
- Approach communication from the positive side of things: use words like ‘I would like to see…’ instead of ‘I don’t want you to do …’
- Focus on process and making the right decision
- Reward hustle, sportsmanship
- Great team builders – Start practices by playing fun games, have a potluck cookout
Connecting with and Impacting Kids
- Morgan has coached a boy who is his neighbor and followed his growth, and got to see him catch his first TD recently, Morgan doesn’t know who was more excited, the boy, his parents, or Morgan
The One that got away
- Morgan had some scouts come to watch him in a high school game and he gave up 7 runs and only recorded 1 out. Morgan’s mom did a great job afterwards of keeping things in perspective and reminding him that this doesn’t define him.
Best borrowed/stolen idea
- Hardwork and dedication will reap benefits
- Morgan’s best coach had great passion and loved hardwork and fun.
Favorite coaching book/quote
- Book: Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy
- Book: Leading with the Heart by Coach K
- Book: Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson and Joseph Grenny
Parting Advice
- 3 P’s – Prepare, progress, push. During practice – Push your players to the point of uncomfortable but attainable.
–
—