Positive Behavior Guidance: Prevention

Many coaches dwell on behavioral challenges without thinking about the context for that behavior and how they can proactively coach in a way that reinforces positive actions and responses.

90% of behavior guidance is about supporting positive behavior. Use the four key elements of supporting positive behavior by doing things “RITE.”

Doing Things “RITE”

• Build positive Relationships
• Provide clear Instructions
• Transition from one activity to the next smoothly
• Engage players with fun and appropriately challenging activities

Relationships – Goal: Players feel: I am cared for.

Tactics:

Build relationships with each player

• Learn names quickly
• Get to know each player as an individual
• Use informal pre- and post-practice time to connect
• Give specific, positive, and constructive feedback
• Play with them, laugh and smile

Help youth build relationships with each other

• Use energizers, icebreakers, and games
• Have time for personal check-ins (e.g., thumb check-ins)
• Include relationship questions in your debriefing (e.g., “Who saw someone else trying hard? Who saw someone else improve?”)
• Use unifying team rituals (e.g., counting out loud when stretching, team cheers)
• Teach players how to give positive and constructive feedback to each other
• React quickly to prevent put-downs, bullying, or cliques
• Know when to get out of the way and let kids play with each other

Instructions – Goal: Players feel: “I know what I am supposed to be doing.”

Tactics:

• Give clear, easy-to-follow instructions
• Make sure instructions are short and to the point
• Give only 1-2 instructions at a time
• Ask players to repeat back instructions as a whole group where appropriate (e.g., “Which group, group one or group two, is going to sprint to the cone first?”)
• Ask players if they have any questions
• Use visual demonstrations
• Establish clear and collaborative codes so players know “this is how we do things here”

Transitions – Goal: Players feel: “I am engaged at all times.”

Tactics:

• Use energizers, icebreakers, and games
• Use attention getters instead of yelling for players’ attention
• Use games and activities as “fillers” (e.g., when players will be finishing a task at different times, have players juggle the soccer ball while other teammates finish)
• Have a clear, ritualized way that you begin practice (e.g., when players arrive at baseball practice, they always throw and catch with a teammate until the coach circles the team up to start)
• Have a clear ritualized way that you end practice (e.g., close with a team cheer)

Engaging – Goal: Players feel: “I am having fun, learning, and enjoying practice.”

Tactics:

• Introduce new and appropriately challenging activities that keep players feeling like they are learning and improving
• Vary practice activities so players are not doing the same thing all the time
• Design drills so players are not standing in long lines waiting their turn
• Give your team a choice sometimes (e.g., give the team three different shooting drills and let them pick which one they want to do)
• Create opportunities for players to be leaders (e.g., warm-up leaders, equipment helpers)