Core Beliefs
- Youth sports and physical activity provide a place for young people to grow and mature and should be focused more on meeting youths’ learning and developmental needs than on achieving success in competition alone.
- Young people must be encouraged to have the freedom and autonomy to explore what the sport or activity has to offer them and be encouraged to view sport holistically.
- Youth sports provide a vehicle for creating invaluable life experiences that help young people develop into more productive members of society.
- Youth sports provide opportunities for interaction between young people and significant adult mentors—most often coaches—who help guide youths’ lives and care for them regardless of their mistakes or lack of experience or ability.
- Together with parents, teachers, and others, coaches play a significant role in youth development and character education. They should be selected, educated, trained, and encouraged with this mission in mind.
- Through the medium of the coach’s words and actions, there is an opportunity to help youth develop strength of purpose and confidence to undertake “right action” in the challenging situations that arise in sport, and to apply these dispositions to all other aspects of their lives.
- Given the important leadership role and responsibilities of the coach, there is an urgent need to design and deliver effective and sustainable methods of educating and training volunteer and otherwise untrained coaches to fulfill these service leadership responsibilities.