High School Head Coaches - Turnover

Support your school's head coach if you find a good one.  In So Cal, there were 114 high school football head coach changes out of 601 schools this offseason alone.

And when the head coach leaves or is forced out that means many of the position, assistant coaches leave as well creating disruption for players, parents, coaches, and administration. 

Youth Sports Expenses - Expectations

Studies show that parents spend up to 10.5% of gross income on youth sports.  For a family making $50K that's $5.5K per year.  Pretty big investment. 

Probably not a great plan if the goal is to get an athletic scholarship (only 3% of high school athletes earn an athletic scholarship).  Probably a good investment if the goal is to use youth sports to development life skills. 

Peak Sports Parenting Interview

My interview from Dubai-based Divorce Talk on peak sports parenting and student athlete development.

http://www.purepeacecoaching.com/listen/

The Benefits of Multi-Sport Athletes

My article from the summer issue of The Washington Coach on the benefits of playing multiple sports in high school: Different Pressures; Different Roles; and Different Teammates and Coaches.

Article at pages 14-15.

https://www.washcoach.net/Archives/Summer2016/index.html

Amateur Athletic Status & the Dangers of Sports Agents

If there is one absolute in the recruiting game it is this – stay away from agents trying to build a relationship with your student-athlete.  There is no faster way of destroying amateur eligibility and putting a black mark on your reputation than accepting representation, vague promises of future representation, or benefits like housing (see Reggie Bush) or cars from an agent to a student-athlete or family.  And with the immediacy and reach of social media any interaction by a student-athlete or family with an agent will get noticed. 

The NCAA bylaws strictly prohibit this student-athlete/agent relationship under § 12.3.1.1 and .2.  This includes both written and verbal arrangements and both present and casual promises of future representation after your son or daughter has completed his or her amateur eligibility in that sport.

More info at www.NCAA.org

What do Ben Franklin & Coach Bill Belickick Have in Common?

Interesting podcast from Tim Ferriss (Four Hour Workweek) on embracing the grunt work.

http://fourhourworkweek.com/2016/06/10/the-canvas-strategy/

Divorce & Goal Alignment

With 1M kids playing high school football and 850K divorces per year it's important for coaches to discuss parent-athlete-coach goal alignment in the pre-season meeting.