November/December 2024 - 18

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THE EFFECTS OF
LEADING WITH RESPECT
COMPASSION AND UNDERSTANDING INCREASE
TRUST AND MOTIVATION
Anyone who's coached knows that it's much more than drawing up game strategies or clocking times.
Coaches motivate and encourage athletes to strive for a personal best, work together as a team, or master
a new skill. And it's not easy. Being an effective leader takes time and dedication and requires skills some
might not associate with coaching-like attentiveness, understanding, and respect.
SUPPORT THE WHOLE ATHLETE.
Whether you're coaching high school athletes, a
grade-school sports team, or adults, every athlete
steps onto the field shouldering their experiences
from off the field. Which is why it's essential for
coaches to be sensitive to the trauma or stress that
athletes may have experienced in areas of their lives
both in and outside of sport.
Leaders who use trauma-sensitive coaching practices
recognize that abuse and misconduct affect each
person differently. By assuming that athletes have
experienced trauma, trauma-sensitive coaches are
able to respond to unexplained emotional, behavioral,
and physical changes-like aggression, anxiety, or
burnout-with respect and sensitivity. In this way, you
can better support each individual athlete, improving
team dynamics as a whole.
Since 2017, the U.S. Center for SafeSport has been
committed to making sport safer for all participants.
The Center offers online trainings and educational
resources to help coaches and administrators foster
abuse-free sport settings on and off the field of play.
THREE ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE.
Coaches, athletic directors, and other sport leaders
have the unique opportunity to be a source of
encouragement and strength for their athletes. Here
are three ways you can lead with respect:
1. Prioritize relationship-building. Build positive
relationships with the players on your team by
always communicating openly and respectfully.
Keeping lines of communication open lets your
athletes know they can feel comfortable coming to
you if they're having a problem.
Photo courtesy Daktronics
18 COACH & A.D. | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024
2. Have a consistent structure. Whether you're
running warm-up drills or responding to an
instance of misconduct, being consistent tells your
athletes that everyone will be held accountable to
the same core values, expectations, and policies-
and everyone will be treated respectfully.
3. Care about your athletes' well-being. Check in
with athletes regularly to show you care about
how they're doing within and outside of sport. In
supporting the whole athlete, coaches can create
team environments that prioritize athlete wellbeing
over winning.
When you follow these pillars of respectful coaching,
your athletes perform better. But more importantly,
you increase trust on your team and encourage
relationships built on positivity, inclusion, and honesty.
Explore more resources at
uscenterforsafesport.org/coaches/
STAY IN-THE-KNOW:
GET SAFESPORT®
TRAINED.
Sport leaders who value positive sport environments
allow athletes of all ages and levels to experience
sport's benefits.
By getting SafeSport®
Trained, you can learn
techniques for preventing abuse and misconduct on
your team. Explore the Center's online trainings at
uscenterforsafesport.org/safesport-courses-for-all.

http://www.uscenterforsafesport.org/coaches/

November/December 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November/December 2024