Tips on how to handle, ‘Generation Y’ athletes

The following are tips from coaches on what they see and how they handle athletes who fall in the category of ‘Generation Y’. An email came to me from a coach, Rob, asking me to reach out to others for help with this generation of athletes. I did and got a few nice responses.

Generation Y meaning youngsters who get praise for ANYTHING they do, instead of getting praise for things that truly deserve praise. If a volleyball player gets a serve over the net that is great, but it is worth a high five, $10, a shopping spree or Player of the Game from mommy or daddy? NOPE!

Here are some good tips from volleyball coaches and how they see it and handle it. ENJOY!

“Hi Barry,
I always enjoy your articles. This is a topic that hits home with me. I have found over the years that many players are unrealistic about there abilities and both on the Men’s and Women’s side complacent. While I traditionally focus on instilling belief and confidence with my teams. I have started my season off by having the team set individual and team goals. I then use these to keep the focus on improvement. I also spend a lot of time talking about the next level, as well as, showing the differences. Let’s face it for everyone there is a next level. So a praise may sound like this. ‘Hey that was a great back set, now how cool will it be when you can do that while faking the block to the outside or middle!’

I find this is a positive way to get someone excited about improving! I also have found that being heavily involved with the parents in a way that opens the doors for communication is very important. Most parents if they believe you have their childs best interest at heart will want to hear and know if there kid is under performing, or not trying.

Warm Regards,
G
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“I had not thought about the correlation between the drive to improve and the parents praising too much. It does make sense though. I have, unlike Rob, found it to be more prominent in the girls. I have coached both boys and girls at the high school level. I really enjoy coaching the boys because they just did what was asked of them. The girls would just try to do enough to get by. With that complacency in mind, I made it as general rule to not move Frosh up to Varsity. It seemed as though the Frosh would push themselves that first or maybe the second year and then stop (I had only done it with a very few players over the years). “I was good enough for Varsity then, so I am good enough to stay” type attitude.

And it wasn’t as if we won our league every year, they seemed happy to be in the middle. I challenged them to improve. Play club to make themselves better players for their teammates! Play on sand to improve their quickness. Some did and some didn’t and by the end of try-outs it was hard to tell who had played and who had not. It is almost like the way education has turned, teach to the lowest. Some kids would almost “dumb” themselves down on the court. How do we counter that? Or is it that we have become content with mediocrity? I have 2 boys that have been challenged by me to do well in school and sports. I praise them just as I do my players, you get a “job well done” when you show hard work. You get a high five when you go above and beyond that. And you get cheers when you push that 110%. The wins and losses will fall where they fall. But as John Wooden says, “Motivation must come from the belief that ultimate success comes from giving your personal best.”

Later,
Sue

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Barry,
i completely agree with rob,the girls i coach in Volleyball are way more aggressive and team oriented in getting better as individuals and as a team then the boys i coach in Basketball.They are much more open to being pushed and challenged and want to prove their worth. Kids these days are very coddled and we try to push the kids to expect more of themselves.Its why i i’m very pro-active to parents and to what my expectations are to avoid any conflicts. Confidence Always!!! is what we preach!!!

Brian

OK..there are just a few. What are your thoughts?

Can you send some advice to others? Please feel free to leave a positive comment to help your fellow coaches, in turn helping the young athletes.

FYI – Drills N Kills is a HOT topic! People from all over the world are ‘DIGGING’ it! Gotta love the vball peeps!

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