About the PCA

The goal of the Positive Coaching Alliance is to replace the "win-at-all-costs" youth sports mentality with a culture that honors the game and provides each athlete with a positive, character-building experience. The group works with youth sports organizations, schools, cities and other national groups to restore fun and a love of the game to youth sports. A non-profit organization based out of Stanford University, the PCA offers training sessions around the country to coaches and other groups. Since its inception in 1998, the group has given more than 700 workshops and trained more than 25,000 coaches. Requests for its training sessions have doubled in the past year, partly due to Lakers coach Phil Jackson signing on its national spokesman. The PCA, which has grown to include 13 full-time staff members and 40 trainers, is funded by individual donations and fees for training sessions, according to PCA founder Jim Thompson. It's advisory committee includes 76ers coach Larry Brown, former NFL player Ronnie Lott, former Olympians Nadia Comenici, Bart Connor and Summer Sanders, NFL executive Gene Washington, Women's Sports Foundation director Donna Lopiano, Stanford athletic director Ted Leland and former North Carolina coach Dean Smith.

1) 5-to-1 ratio of compliments to criticisms
Players are more willing to listen to and incorporate a coach's criticism when it's mixed with a healthy dose of supportive comments.

2) Be genuine and specific with any compliments
General comments like "you're good" doesn't help the player much. And if you don't mean it, you lose credibility with the player. More effective is praise the athlete can use, such as, "I like how high you're tossing the ball, you're getting better, now remember to follow through on your stroke."

3) Beware of non-teachable moments
Identify the appropriate lesson for the appropriate time. For example, the ride home after a game where a player made a costly mistake is likely not the time to give technical instruction.

4) Players talk first after games
It helps them release some anxiety and become better listeners when the coach does speak. It also allows the coach to gather valuable information about how the players saw the game, which can be more important than how the coach saw it.

5) Have fun
It's easy to lose sight of fun at a big game. Take the time to remind the players what sports are all about. They also are likely to play better if they are having fun.