Coaching Guide
Westfield Youth Sports
Coaching Guide
Expand your playbook with these tools, guides, and resources to support your coaching on and off the field.
Most Valuable Coach
All kids face pressure and adversity—from school stress to social expectations to the ups and downs of competition, growing up today isn’t easy. As a Most Valuable Coach (MVC), you can use Healing-Centered Coaching to create sport environments that counter stress and build confidence, connection, and resilience. Learn more by Clicking Here.
The Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport
CHJS is offering free healing-centered 101 coach training that gives you the tools to create environments where athletes don’t just perform better – they heal, grow, and thrive as whole human beings. When athletes feel safe, seen, and supported, they perform at their best! Click Here to visit the CHJS website and to learn more. Coaches can register monthly for training sessions. All trainings are from 12 PM – 1 PM EST.
DICK's Pro Tips
Explore practical coaching tips to help you prepare, motivate and teach your team! Click Here to learn more.
Coaching For All
Explore Nike's expert-backed resources to enhance inclusive coaching practices. Dreams become real when coaches show up with more than just skills and drills. When coaches bring more than their love for the game, kids grow confidence and resilience that have a lifelong impact, especially for girls. Explore these expert-backed resources and guides, and join Nike, our partners, and coaches as we build the future of youth sport.
How to Coach Kids
Want to be a great coach for kids but not sure where to start? Click here to discover short courses on "How to Coach Kids" and "Coaching Girls". These courses are full of tips to make sports fun and safe for kids of all ages and abilities.
In-Game Incidents
All Westfield Youth Sports athletes, coaches, parents, guardians, and spectators agree to the WYSI Code of Conduct upon registration or attending a Westfield Youth Sports event.
If a problem arises during a game or practice, please consider the following:
De-escalate the Situation
De-escalation is the main objective when dealing with disrespect on the field, on the sidelines, or in the stands. The focus of any youth sports competition should be to provide a supportive and safe environment for the athletes. Calmer heads must prevail.
What Coaches Can Do
- Be the calmer person. If a player, parent, or spectator is confrontational, acknowledge the person’s frustration and agree to discuss it later, but avoid getting drawn into a heated exchange.
- Institute the 24-Hour Rule. Emotions can run high in the heat of the moment. Consider using the 24-hour rule to schedule out a time to talk or email about the conflict.
- Inform the person involved that offensive, disrespectful, or abusive language is not tolerated by anyone, nor should be directed at anyone.
- Remind the person of WYSI’s Code of Conduct Policy.
What Parents Can Do
- Cheer, don’t sideline coach. Yelling instructions to youth athletes can confuse and overwhelm them. Instead, encourage and praise good efforts from your athlete, as well as others.
- Resist the urge to critique. The goal is to learn and have fun.
- Do not yell at the refs. Yelling at officials creates an unsettling environment for everyone.
- Report bad behavior. If poor behavior is a persistent problem and you don’t feel comfortable discussing it directly with the person involved, fill out an incident report by clicking here.
Never Argue in Front of the Kids
Positivity is contagious and can easily drown out negativity. Focus on creating a fun, supportive, and encouraging environment. It can help maintain a positive atmosphere for both athletes and spectators.
Any confrontation amongst athletes, coaches, parents, guardians, or spectators will not be tolerated and will be subject for removal. Referees, umpires, and officials have the final say in disputes and are given authority to remove athletes, coaches, parents, guardians or spectators from the event if they think it’s in best interest of the league. All decisions will then be reported to the WYSI Board of Directors.