It’s time we start talking about who trained your kid’s coach. Why? Because your kids will probably spend more time with their coach than with many of their teachers in school. Your kids will probably listen to the advice of their coach more than they will to their guidance counselors. And, one day, for better or for worse, your kids will probably remember their coach more than their high school principal. Herein lies the problem. If we don't train coaches to use this influence to inspire your kids’ physical, emotional and social development, then we missed out on one of the greatest opportunities to positively shape their future.
At Up2Us Sports, we understand the potential of coaches as life skills mentors for our youth, which is why we are training thousands of coaches each year to be “trauma-sensitive.” Trauma may seem like a big, scary word that doesn’t apply to your kids, but it actually applies to millions of youth in all socioeconomic circumstances. The reason is that trauma can be triggered any time a child does not feel safe and protected. It can result from a build-up of overwhelming stressful events or circumstances or from just a single event that induces fear and anxiety. Now think about it, how many youth in America are confronting trauma because of exposure to heroin usage, alcohol abuse, bullying, gangs, truancy, dating issues, difficult home lives, loss of a loved one, terrorism, natural disasters and/or exposure to violence? It’s no wonder that some studies find that in inner-cities where these challenges are often compounded, the rates of PTSD in kids are double those of our veterans returning from war. And ignoring the reality of trauma isn’t going to help it go away. Like any medical condition, it will just get worse until, one day, we might not be able to treat it all.
But we can intervene now and, yes, your kid’s coach might hold one of the most powerful tools for doing so. Growing research on trust (and Trust-Based Relational Interventions) suggests that children (and adults) who have someone to turn to when confronting difficult decisions are more successful at coping with stress and trauma. If the person your kid trusts the most is their coach, then why not give their coaches the tools to use this trust to increase their ability to navigate the difficult decisions they encounter throughout their teen years? Plus, your kid’s coach adds one more healing element to the trauma equation: the power of physical activity. Research shows that physical activity may be the greatest contributor to stress-relief because it activates critical hormones that bring balance back to the brain. A trauma-informed coach knows how to engage every child on the team in the benefits of physical activity while at the same time creating a mentoring relationship so that each child feels he or she belongs.
Trauma-sensitive coaching is not time consuming or costly. A simple course provides your coach with a basic understanding of how to organize a team and team culture that fosters collaboration and trust. More advanced training helps your coach use practices to foster specific attributes like “future focus” and “situational awareness,” which are proven to help youth navigate the obstacles of adolescence. More advanced training looks at competition - one of the essential building blocks of sports and life - and teaches coaches how to use practices and games to prepare kids to manage the stress associated with increased stakes. Regulating their reactions to stress so that they can successfully face competitiveness is a skill that will help them succeed not just in sports, but in school and the future workplace.
It takes roughly 90 hours for your soccer coach to get an advanced level license and be a much sought-after athletic resource for your team. It takes one third of that time for Up2Us Sports to fully license your coach in trauma-sensitive coaching to become one of the best role models in your kid’s life. If we are going to ensure that our nation's youth remain healthy and resilient during these turbulent times, we need to engage all adult influences to be part of the effort. One of the greatest influences on your child is their coach.
What kind of training have you required that they have? Let’s work together to ensure they receive the best training possible.