Less than one third of the United States six million coaches have been trained in youth development practices, yet most coaches recognize the key role they play in promoting youth development.
To bridge this gap in training, the Susan Crown Exchange (SCE) launched a new initiative in 2020 with the goal to train one million coaches in youth development techniques by 2025!
LiFEsports and nine other organizations were chosen as a part of a cohort to achieve this goal and to build our national knowledge of innovative practices to strengthen coach trainings in PYD across the country.
Our goal is to reach at least 15,000 coaches from across Ohio to equip them to address the ever-changing needs of their communities’ youth and promote sport-based positive youth development (PYD).
Currently, coaches in the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) member schools receive coach training in basic safety-related procedures (i.e. first aid, concussions) and coaching fundamentals, yet there is a lack of coach preparedness social-emotional learning and positive youth development (SEL-PYD) topics, such as developing positive adult-youth relationships or using effective leadership strategies that emphasize effort, autonomy, mastery and learning.
Current research, however, suggests that coach training in SEL-PYD can improve youths’ motivation, satisfaction and continued participation in sports!
So, that’s where we come in. LiFEsports is a national model for SEL-PYD awarded Project Champion by the Aspen Institute and Bright Sport in the National Youth Sport Strategy. So, we will leverage our expertise in SEL-PYD to train coaches across the state.
In partnership with OHSAA, seven school districts across the state of Ohio and state regulatory bodies, we plan to audit current coaching certification requirements, develop, pilot and implement new coach training modules and advocate for changes in the Ohio Pupil Activity Permit to ensure that all coaches are prepared to develop their athlete’s sport and life skills on and off the field.
The Million Coaches Challenge - Susan Crown Exchange