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Elevation Model

Coaching Life Skill Themes

Step 1. Choose a life skill theme

The first step is to choose a life skill theme for the day or the week. Focus on something your team really needs to improve their performance and grow as individuals. For example, let's say your team is facing a heavily favored opponent this week. You know your athletes are going to have to be especially courageous and focused on execution to win. Your theme for the week could be 'courage and execution.'

Step 2. Assign presenters

Some coaches like to have their athletes do brief presentations on life skill themes. This is a good way to help our athletes 'find their voices' and get some experience speaking in front of a group. In the current example, we could assign one athlete to talk to the team for a couple minutes on the meaning of courage, and assign another to talk about execution under pressure. If your athletes are shy about creating their own presentation, consider having them read an inspirational poem or story on the theme.

Step 3. Teach the theme

It is wise not to assume that your athletes already know what the theme means (unless you have taught it before). So either on your own or with your presenter(s), teach the theme very explicitly.

Start by defining the terms. Using the current example, we would define exactly what we mean by courage and execution.

Next, give concrete examples of courage and execution in action. For example, "A few games back we saw C.J. bounce back from a really tough first half to lead us on to a win. She could have hung her head and quit at halftime, but she made a decision to get back up and just execute regardless of the score. That's what we all need to do."

Point out exactly how your theme will help the team win in the next contest. For instance, 'We need to play with courage this week so that we don't get intimidated or discouraged if we are down. We have to believe in ourselves - that we have what we need to win. All we need to do is execute to the best of our ability, and we can still come back and win even if we get down in the score."

Next, explain out how your theme can help the athletes win in life beyond sports. For example, "Remember, we all know people in our lives who are facing a lot more than a tough game this week. They have health problems, family problems, financial problems. But they get up every day and find the courage to execute what they need to do to take care of their families. Maybe you can dedicate this week of practice and this game to one of those people in your life. Let's let those people inspire us!"

Step 4. Enforce the theme

The next step is to enforce the theme by assigning responsibilities and holding our athletes accountable. Using the current example, we could assign our captains responsibility to 'talk and walk' courage and execution all week. We could give other individual athletes specific assignments to work on as well. If we see them falling short of courage and execution, we call them on it in a constructive way. This reinforces the message that our theme is important and not to be forgotten.

Step 5. Advocate the theme

We can further reinforce our theme by advocating for those behaviors we want to see. Take the time to acknowledge those athletes in front of the team. This is especially effective for athletes who are important to the team but not seeing much playing time. Also point out positive behaviors by opponents or by athletes on television. This kind of positive reinforcement will encourage your athletes to keep your theme in the front of your mind.

Step 6. Model the theme

When it comes to coaching life skills, what we do is often more important than what we say. We have to model the very values and behaviors we expect our athletes to deliver. When we don't, we send mixed signals to our athletes - signals which cause them to hesitate before stepping up. When we do model the things we want to see, we give our athletes the assurance they need to step up and deliver.

Step 7. Spotlight achievement

Spotlighting is a special way of advocating for your themes. A good time to spotlight is after a game (regardless of the score). Go around the room and ask a few players to spotlight a teammate who really demonstrated the theme of the week either during practice or in the game. Most athletes sit up and take notice when they are being recognized by their own teammates.

When the athletes are finished spotlighting their teammates, you can step up and congratulate the team as a whole and identify a few more individuals who deserve recognition but might have been passed over when the athletes' spoke. This is a good way to tie up a weeklong focus on your key theme. Now you can take your team to the next level by adding a new theme for the coming week!

Thanks for being a coach!

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