ELM TREE OF MASTERY
Focusing on what you can control is the key to performance and success. Great coaches teach this! And a tremendous body of research backs this up! The scoreboard is
an immportant part of youth and hight school sports...but still just a part. Winning is neither everything nor the only thing. While youth learn how to compete, a necessary lesson now and
throughout their lives, they also should take a mastery approach to sports. That means focusing on what they can control: their Effort, Learning and ability to persist through Mistakes and
adversity.
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HONORING THE GAME
Sports provide a great framework for cultivating ethical behavior. Winning and losing gracefully are hallmarks of people equipped to live in and lead a civil society.
And learning to treat people with dignity, especially under the pressure of competition, is one of the most valuable life lessons sports can offer. In sports, this is "Honoring the Game," respect
for Rules, Opponents, Officials, Teammates and Self. These are the
ROOTS of positive competition and a healthly team culture!
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FILLING EMOTIONAL TANKS
Each person has an "Emotional Tank" that works like the gas tank of a car. When the tank is empty, we go nowhere. When the tank is full, we can go nearly anywhere.
Athletes with full E-Tanks feel connected to their team and coach, which enables them to learn, perform and compete better! The best mix for a full Emotional Tank is five parts specific, truthful
praise for each piece of constructive correction. 5:1 is the Magic Ratio!
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MISTAKE RITUAL
This is a technique that helps people quickly acknowledge a mistake and move beyond it, ready for the next needed action. Some rituals include "flushing" mistakes
(immediately ridding one's mind of the mistake) and "parking" the mistake for later consideration.
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