We're approaching the half-way point of Spring Training's Fall Baseball program and in addition to all the great skill reps and coaching the kids get at our weekly practices, one other thing I absolutely love is the vibe at our weekend games.

All the game logistics are designed to reduce stress in the players and parents (positions rotate every inning, the batting lineup switches each week, we don't keep score, etc) and the result of having everyone on the same page with the same exact goal - watching the kids improving their skills while having fun - makes for a truly special environment.

Which brings me to the theme of this blog: "Positive energy and negative energy are equally contagious."

If you've ever been to a youth sporting event with negative coaches who scream at the kids (and sadly if you are alive on this planet with a child who plays a sport, you have), you might realize that negativity spreads. Negative energy from a coach, player, or parent spreads like a wildfire to the other kids on the field and to the other spectators in the stands. And, like wildfires, once it starts it can be very difficult to contain.  

Shoulders start slumping. Bats and helmets start slamming. Players, coaches, and parents start arguing calls.  It’s a downward spiral.

On the other hand, positivity is equally contagious!

Positivity from the coaches results in positivity in the players.

Positivity from the players results in positivity in the other players.

Positivity from the parents results in positivity in the other parents.

Anyone who has been on the field at Soccer or Lacrosse Camp with Coach Marissa knows she calls this is an UPWARD SPIRAL.

This is also the reason why we end Spring Training camp days with “shoutouts;” an opportunity for each camper to practice noticing and celebrating something awesome they saw their teammates do, say or accomplish.  The players practice being brave enough to use their voices to jumpstart an upward spiral.

Other examples of how Spring Training integrates intentional positive reinforcement include:

• A high five for a teammate who just ran off the field after making a great run in soccer.  
• An “Atta Boy” for a teammate who attempted a diving catch in the Outfield.  
• A pat on the back and a “you got the next one” for a teammate who missed an open shot in lacrosse.

I know that the Spring Training Fall Ball Baseball program is unique in that all the games are intersquad so both sets of players and parents have already bought into the Spring Training culture; the chance of a parent screaming at another parent or the chance of a coach screaming at a player and ruining the experience for everyone, is basically zero.  

Same goes for our Fall Ball Lacrosse program and all of our clinics and camps. Spring Training coaches are trained in how to manage the energy and keep the vibe at camp relentlessly positive.  

We see how the positive Upward Spiral results in more smiles, laughter, competitive playfulness, and FUN.  This often leads to kids feeling more supported and being more likely to take chances and “play out of their shoes.”

Unfortunately, we hear so many stories and have witnessed the way that a downward spiral can also really impact the experience of youth players in games and practices. 

There is one local coach (I won't name the sport or location) who is so aggressively mean and intense that other teams don't even want to practice near his team because his negativity affects the entire environment at the whole facility…behavior like this from a coach is most certainly not making his players more skillful or more likely to react well to the inevitable stresses or difficult situations that arise during challenging practices or games. Plus, it sucks all the joy out of everyone’s experience (also, never forgot that the #1 reason kids play sports is “to have fun.”)  

I acknowledge that it is harder to be the positive parent at “open” sporting events when playing other teams and sharing the stands with other parents who might not behave the same way… but you can and should try to be the catalyst for an upward spiral!  

When the other team’s parents start yelling at the Umpire, let’s not “BOOO!” them and add fuel to the negativity fire, let’s simply stay positive and continue cheering for our team. When the other team’s coach starts screaming at his players, let’s not start yelling back at him; rahter, let's continue to set a good example for all the kids and remain positive.  

And when the practice or game ends, you can give shoutouts, too, for noticing and recognizing your (and other) player’s hustle, effort, focus, improvement, or exciting moments (whether or not they resulted in a run, out, goal, or turnover). 

Creating positive environments for our kids is a group effort so let’s each individually do our part to help make that a reality.

PLAY HARD, HAVE FUN!