In 2024, Mudsock Youth Athletics engaged with the
Center for Sports Transformation to explore more ways to support our volunteer coaches. Based on feedback we've received over the years, we discovered that creating a standardized plan or checklist for each practice eases many of the concerns that new volunteers have. Additionally, it sets the expectations for the participants on the team and for the families who bring them.
We created a 5 step process to lead each practice for you called The Mudsock Way. The Mudsock Way creates the culture and experience we want everyone to feel at each Mudsock Youth Athletics event. Below are the five easy steps that will lead to a great season if done each practice/game.
“The Mudsock Way”
- I’M READY – Be prepared with written plan for the practice/game.
- HOW YA DOIN - Greet every player by name with a high-five, fist bump, etc.
- GO FOR IT – Show them it’s a safe place to try new things and make mistakes.
- BELIEVE – Provide support and care through both success and failure.
- HOOK ‘EM – Finish with something positive that makes them want to come back.
Coaches have been given bag tags on their equipment bag to link to this page. Below are resources to complete each step of "The Mudsock Way".
1. I'M READY - Be like Spongebob and get ready by creating a plan of action. Find practice plans
here or on
MOJO.
2. HOW YA DOIN'? - Carve out time at the start of the practice or game to high five, fist bump, handshake and greet each player by name. Research shows that repetitive, positive interactions like a fist bump have a multiplicative effect on oxytocin production. Additionally, kids are proven to buy-in and create another positive relationship with adults who know their name and feel seen by them.
3. Go for it - Youth sports should be a safe place for learning and making mistakes. Very rarely do kids pick up on a new skill on their first try. Many kids are visual learners, so they need to see others trying. By demonstrating a new skill, even if you don't know how to do it, shows them that it's okay to be uncomfortable and that no one is great the first time. If you do know how to do a specific drill or skill, share with the team how much practice it took for you to get to where you are now and convey that it didn't happen overnight.
4. BELIEVE - Be like Ted Lasso and instill that you believe in them and that you'll care about them through both success and failures. You can do this by actions and words. Telling them you believe that they can do anything regularly goes a long way. Showing them it's okay when they make a mistake does, too.
5. HOOK 'EM - Finish each practice or game with something positive that makes everyone want to come back. We find that it's the adults who take bad practices or losses worse than the kids. Many kids are like goldfish and quickly forget what happened 5 minutes ago, but we as adults let it affect us for much longer. Making sure that the kids on your team leave in an uplifting mood will pay huge dividends at the next practice or game. Something as simple as a high five line or a dance party to a team song are good ways to end on a positive note.
