Category Archives for "Volunteers"

Essential Workers and Bad Information

essential workers and bad information

There are two big things worth paying closer attention to today: 1. the great things people are doing during this crisis. 2. The proliferation of bad, incomplete, politically motivated, or deliberately incorrect information being shared all over our news outlets and social media channels. Gratitude changes everything – handwriting on a napkin with a cup of […]

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The Positives of a Global Pandemic

Positives of a Global Pandemic

When bad news is filling our air waves and social media apps… when we’re locked in our homes, faced with empty shelves, overflowing with toilet paper, and feeling a little down, we sometimes need to look at the bright side. In this episode, let’s talk about the positives of a global pandemic! Making Lemonade out […]

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Have-a-Ball Character Development Program

We need practical ways to bake character development into our youth sports programs. In this episode, I talk about one that I recently implemented in my own club and some of the ways that you can implement a similar program in yours.  Being Intentional About Character DevelopmentDevelopment is a long game. It’s not something that […]

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Youth Sports Access and Affordability is at Risk

Support the Show (https://thesoccersidelines.com/go/) Access to affordable youth sports is at risk. It’s facing extinction in communities all across America. I’m afraid that too few people understand how precarious the situation is. In this article, I share two very personal stories that I hope illustrate the problem as well as some solutions.  Volunteers Keep Costs Low […]

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#62 – Cooperation Human Superpower

Many mammals cooperate, but most stick to cooperating with relatives. Human beings are different in that we have learned to cooperate with people we don’t know. This has made all the difference in our evolution. We’re genetically wired for cooperation, but our ability to cooperate is weakening.  Some of the essential ingredients we need in order […]

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#48 – Setting The Bar In Youth Sports

The Reason We CompeteCompetition between human beings has been around a long time. Paintings in the Lascaux caves in France, it is believed, show images of sprinting and wrestling around 15,300 years ago. Similar paintings and sculptures show humans participating in sports like wrestling, swimming, gymnastics, and archery in Mongolia, Libya, Japan, Iraq, Egypt, and […]

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#47 – Commitment Through Youth Sports

What is so Important About Commitment?Commitment makes The Soccer Sidelines “Important Stuff” list across all categories: parents, players, coaches, and volunteers. Commitment is a basic building block of the foundation for every youth athlete and is something that each member of a community – from parents and coaches, to organization leadership and volunteers – all […]

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#46 – Synergy on the Sidelines and the Power of Relationships

Don’t Miss or Underestimate This!Something powerful happens when a group of good people come together around a common goal. Bringing people together in a positive way around youth sports activities in our community not only benefits the kids, but brings adults together in really positive and powerful ways. There are more than two teams on […]

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#36 – Bad Sideline Behavior

A National EpidemicWhat I’m about to share with you is a problem of National consequence. I’m not exaggerating! Producing this podcast, acting as Club President, and coaching, I tend to be reaching out and connecting with a lot of people. I’m hearing the same story from all corners of my world. Bad sideline behavior is […]

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#27 – Safety on a Soccer Field

“It is estimated that half of all sports-related injuries among children can be prevented. Protective equipment, safe playing conditions and the development and enforcement of safety rules help reduce the number and severity of sports injuries.” Sarah Cox Who is Responsible for Safety in Youth Sports? Players Parents Coaches RefereesHost Org Pre-Season check Be sure […]

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#20 – Protecting Our Kids From Predators_Youth Protection

This episode made me sad to have to deliver, but this is a subject that is important to talk about. Better now than after another child is abused. Violations of youth protection result in pain that can last a lifetime. It’s important to talk about the pain that’s already happened, but it is equally important […]

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#15 – How Much Does it Cost to Play Soccer – Part 1 (The Variables)

Soccer families that understand the economics of the game early will make better investment decisions over time. It’s possible to just “follow the crowd” and see where it takes you, but you’ll spend more time and money this way than you need to. By understanding what’s involved in costing a soccer experience, you’ll go in […]

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Welcome to The Soccer Sidelines!

In this first episode, we introduce you to the podcast. The Soccer Sidelines is about bringing parents, players, and coaches together around the most important aspects of the youth sports experience. And we don’t mean winning games. Youth sports allows us to create thousands of teachable moments in the context of a 15-year window. This is […]

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