It’s no secret that a coach has the power to create a lasting impact on the life of an athlete.  Regardless of age, sport, or level, coaches often serve as a beacon in shaping the next generation, both on and off the field.

We’ve all had coaches that have left a positive impact on us and it’s commonly known that open and honest communication is critical for a coach when building meaningful relationships with athletes…through both the good and bad. Yet many athletes don’t always feel comfortable going to their coach to discuss successes and shortcomings, and some don’t at all. 

With data from over 1,400 athletes ranging from youth and high schoolers to professionals and Olympians, Premier’s Research and Analytics team found that only 20.9% of athletes always talk with their coach about what’s going well and what isn’t. 62% of athletes spoke with their coach on the topic often or sometimes and 17% of athletes rarely or never spoke with their coach about what’s going well and what isn’t.

Talking to a coach about successes and shortcomings could mean on-field endeavors such as certain plays or skills, but also non-sport assets such as relationships and off-the-field experiences. It’s important to remember that each athlete is unique and perhaps has different wants and needs than their teammate across the locker room. It’s also important to remember that each coach has things that make them unique and different coaches find different ways to connect with athletes. Yet at the end of the day, a coach’s ability to foster an approachable, welcoming, and inclusive environment is critical when it comes to building strong team cohesion, regardless of level. 

Struggling to connect with one of your players? Looking for new ways to strengthen team culture? Wanting to make sure you’re doing everything you can to make your team feel included? Here are a few ways to foster an environment where athletes are more likely to discuss successes and shortcomings with you and/or other coaches.  

1. Schedule regular check-ins with your athletes. 

Feedback and instruction in group settings can prove valuable, yet scheduling one-on-one time with your athletes is one of the best ways to foster open communication. Not only do one-on-ones create an environment where athletes are more likely to reflect and communicate, they show the athlete that you’re invested in their growth and development. 

One-on-one’s also create a space for coaches to check in on the wellbeing of their athletes. All athletes (and humans) carry an invisible backpack filled with experiences, values, strengths, and weaknesses and the contents of that backpack shape an athlete’s experience in all assets of sport and life. It’s important to remember that all athletes are humans first and foremost, and that their successes on the field come second to overall well-being and personal development. Communicating this to your athletes is critical and one-on-ones create an excellent opportunity to do so. 

2. Recognize that different athletes respond to different styles of coaching. 

All coaches want to get the most out of their athletes, and being intentional about how you’re communicating with different athletes is one of the best ways to achieve that. While some athletes respond well to intense, hard-nosed coaching, others do not and respond poorly.  Regardless of your coaching style, be sure to communicate that style with your athletes and ask them what they prefer when it comes to being at their best. Showing vulnerability by asking your athletes what they prefer lets them know that you care about their growth and that you genuinely want them to be their best…and that you want to play a part in that. 

3. Acknowledge that different athletes go to different resources for different needs…and that’s okay.

Regardless of your role on a coaching staff, doing everything in your control to foster an inclusive and approachable environment is critical. Yet that doesn’t mean that everything has to go through you. Just like the varying personalities on a team, all coaches have unique qualities that resonate with varying individuals. One athlete may feel most comfortable talking to a certain coach about X’s and O’s on the field while a different athlete may go to that coach to speak about mental health and converse with a different coach about plays on the field. 

One coach does not have to fulfill all the needs of their athletes, yet making sure there are resources available organization/team-wide are critical. Being sure to communicate to your team is essential towards creating an environment where athletes feel that they have the resources to succeed as an athlete and human being. 

4. Take time during chaos to acknowledge and process with your team.

Things can get a bit chaotic for both coaches and players during the season…that’s normal, yet also quite stressful, considering that sport is just one component of an individual’s overall life. Taking time to acknowledge this can help foster a calm amongst the storm. Acknowledging the struggles lets your athletes know that you’re validating their experience and that you care about their worth as a unique individual on the team. Be sure to process emotions with the team in times of stress, but also in times of joy and neutrality to demonstrate that you’re committed to them getting the most out of their experience.

 

 

It’s no secret that having ADHD doesn’t mean that a child can’t find success in sport, school, and life. Yet finding that blueprint for success can sometimes be easier said than done and getting tested is oftentimes the first step towards molding that blueprint. 

ADHD is far from a one size fits all; each individual diagnosed with ADHD responds uniquely to different environments and a path to success looks different for each individual. In fact, there are different types of ADHD diagnoses that vary quite a bit from each other. 

That being said, there are common signs and behaviors that are often associated with children who have ADHD. These behaviors are by no means an exact indicator, but if multiple ones are displayed, getting your child tested for ADHD might not be a bad idea. 

Per Premier’s head of ADHD services Dr. Janet Finlayson, here are five common behaviors associated with children who may have Hyperactive ADHD. 

Your child is constantly fidgeting.
Fidgeting can mean a lot of things; clicking a pen, playing with bracelets, biting one’s nails, tapping feet, you name it. And while these actions are certainly commonplace in everyone’s life to an extent, those with Hyperactive ADHD tend to do it constantly. 

Constantly means in not just one environment, but at school, home, social settings, and everywhere in between. When evaluating if your child’s fidgeting is truly a problem and/or a symptom of ADHD, ask the question “Is it taking place in multiple environments and is it affecting their performance and relationships in school, sports/other activities and at home?”

Your child is constantly moving.
Individuals with Hyperactive ADHD love to move! It’s one of the reasons why sport serves as such a good outlet for individuals with Hyperactive ADHD; a controlled environment where movement and energy is not only expected, but applauded. 

Fidgeting is certainly a part of constantly moving, but so is someone’s inability to sit in one place for long periods of time. Think about if your child has difficulties sitting through a movie on the couch, is always getting up during class, or perhaps having a tough time staying put during a family gathering. 

Your child is talking when they’re not supposed to or finishing other people’s sentences.
Whose line is it anyway? People with Hyperactive ADHD will oftentimes interrupt others and/or finish another person’s thought when in conversation. Again, we’re all guilty of this at times, but those with Hyperactive ADHD tend to do it frequently, not because of ill-intent, but because it’s natural and they have a difficult time controlling it. This behavior tends to show up often in classroom settings, but can extend to social, athletic, and home settings. If it’s a pattern showing up in multiple environments, ADHD could be in the picture. 

Your child is often distracting others.
This behavior goes hand-in-hand with interrupting others; not in an attempt to be rude, but because hyperactivity and energy directly correlate with the behavior. Individuals with Hyperactive ADHD have a niche for focusing on one concentrated thing and that can often be communicating/engaging with others…sometimes when they’re not supposed to. 

Again, this behavior is most commonly seen in school settings, but can present itself at home, in sport, and in social settings. 

Your child seems like they are always on the go.
All mountains and valleys, with little plateaus. Individuals with Hyperactive ADHD often go at 100 miles per hour from one task/activity to the next with little moderation. The concept that those with ADHD cannot focus is misleading; individuals with Hyperactive ADHD can indeed focus yet tend to zone in on one particular thing at a time and do it to the max. 

Perhaps a child loves math class and goes above and beyond on their Algebra homework, yet doesn’t leave any bandwidth for English, Geography, or Spanish homework. In sport, a baseball pitcher may lock in on his bullpen reps in practice, but struggles to focus when the team is practicing defensive situations. 

Being involved and active is certainly good for a child’s development and exploration of different things, yet if it comes at the expense of other important tasks, a conversation may be worth having. 

The Bottom Line
An ADHD diagnosis doesn’t mean that your child can’t accomplish their goals, hopes, and dreams…far from it. Yet living with ADHD without a diagnosis can often create roadblocks in a person’s pursuit to being the best version of themself. 

Not every child has ADHD, but if your child frequently displays behaviors commonly associated with ADHD, testing could be the first step towards creating a blueprint towards success. 

Premier offers ADHD screeners for both adults and teens that take five minutes and are free of charge. Premier also offers a free 15 minute phone consultation with one of our clinical psychologists to discuss if ADHD testing is the right fit for you or your child. 

It’s no secret that having ADHD doesn’t mean that a child can’t find success in sport, school, and life. Yet finding that blueprint for success can sometimes be easier said than done and getting tested is oftentimes the first step towards molding that blueprint. 

ADHD is far from a one size fits all; each individual diagnosed with ADHD responds uniquely to different environments and a path to success looks different for each individual. In fact, there are different types of ADHD diagnoses that vary quite a bit from each other. 

That being said, there are common signs and behaviors that are often associated with children who have ADHD. These behaviors are by no means an exact indicator, but if multiple ones are displayed, getting your child tested for ADHD might not be a bad idea. 

Per Premier’s head of ADHD services Dr. Janet Finlayson, here are five common behaviors associated with children who may have Inattentive ADHD. 

Your child makes a lot of careless mistakes.
Let’s face it, we all make mistakes, regardless of whether we have ADHD or not. Yet a pattern of small yet repetitive mistakes are often a common behavior associated with Inattentive ADHD. Common examples include making silly errors on tests or homework, simple spelling or grammatical errors, and misreading directions or instructions. 

Your child doesn’t seem to listen when spoken to directly.
Again, this is not an uncommon behavior for teenagers when it comes to responding to parental instruction. Yet if it becomes a pattern in other environments such as school, sports, or music, there is reason to consider ADHD testing. Chances are, your child isn’t purposefully not paying attention. More than likely they’re hyper-focused on something else or are having a difficult time retaining information…and they’re aware that there’s a problem too. 

Your child becomes easily distracted.
In a world of flourishing technology and outside noise, becoming distracted has become easier than ever…both for individuals with ADHD and those who don’t have it. For those with ADHD, distractions can be both external and internal; external distractors could include noises, visuals, and other stimulants while internal distractors may include thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Regardless of what leads to the distractions, individuals with Inattentive ADHD often become easily distracted and struggle to stay on task, often resulting in a great deal of overwhelmingness. 

Your child often loses or forgets things.
Homework, sports equipment, you name it. It’s normal for children to occasionally forget things before heading out the door for school or practice. Yet if it becomes a habit, ADHD could be in the picture. Ask yourself the question “Would my child be able to remember this item consistently if I were not reminding them?” If not, testing could be a valuable option. 

Your child has a difficult time completing and/or finishing tasks.
Starting is attainable, checking off the box is more difficult. Individuals with Inattentive ADHD often struggle to complete tasks including (but not limited to) homework, cleaning their room, projects at school, or following through on commitments. This is oftentimes because individuals with ADHD struggle to keep a long-term attention span, despite being able to hyper-focus on certain topics/tasks for short periods of time.

The Bottom Line
An ADHD diagnosis doesn’t mean that your child can’t accomplish their goals, hopes, and dreams…far from it. Yet living with ADHD without a diagnosis can often create roadblocks in a person’s pursuit to being the best version of themself.

Not every child has ADHD, but if your child frequently displays behaviors commonly associated with ADHD, testing could be the first step towards creating a blueprint towards success. 

Premier offers ADHD screeners for both adults and teens that take five minutes and are free of charge. Premier also offers a free 15 minute phone consultation with one of our clinical psychologists to discuss if ADHD testing is the right fit for you or your child.