Effective Coaching Strategies for Positive Team Discipline

6 Steps of Preventative Discipline

• Create the right team culture
• Hold team meetings
• Develop team rules
• Create team routines
• Conduct exciting practices
• Catch them doing good

Define Positive Discipline Approach

• Distinguish between two types of mistakes or misbehaviors:
  • Athletes trying to perform a skill but lacking mastery or knowledge.
  • Athletes who willfully misbehave.
• Take prompt action to correct the behavior.

The key is knowing when your athletes need instruction and when they need correction.

Why Athletes Misbehave

1. Misbehaving athletes are often discouraged.
2. They may feel they do not belong or lack significance to the team.
3. If athletes cannot get attention for positive behaviors, they may seek it through negative actions.

Strategies for Correcting Behaviors

1. Determine if the misbehavior violates the law or team rules. If legal action is warranted, decide whether to involve the appropriate authorities.
2. For minor offenses during practices or contests, request a change in behavior—either to stop an action or begin a new one.
3. If a team rule is broken, invoke an appropriate consequence.

Discipline Tips

• Address the behavior, not the character of the athlete.
• Consequences should never be physically or psychologically harmful.
• Ensure athletes understand they have chosen the consequence through their actions.
• Use nonverbal communication to promote self-control.
• Reward other athletes for desired behaviors while the offending athlete is observing.

Managing Your Stress as a Coach

The first step to managing stress is understanding that it stems from a combination of environmental factors and your personal perceptions.

Potential Sources of Stress

1. Demands from sport administrators and supporters to win.
2. Complex and demanding relationships with players.
3. Time pressures to complete multiple tasks.
4. Invasions of privacy.
5. Time-pressured decision-making during contests.

Every game is an opportunity to measure yourself against your own potential.