Coaches Are Teachers First: How Youth Coaches Impact the Kinesthetic Learning and Mental Toughness of Athletes

This presentation is centered on how any coaches and parents at the youth, middle school, and high school levels need to understand the importance of their role as a teacher first. In all areas of youth sports and beyond, there are coaches who have no training as teachers, and they struggle to understand how important this role as a teacher first is. Topics will include: what does it mean to be youth coach in today's world, how does their role as a coach impact their students and athletes, how to properly structure practices according to age level to enhance the learning both physically and mentally, and strategies on how to handle tough situations and how these tough situations actually can be used to help teach children not only technique but mental toughness.