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LEARNING


Te emphasis on learning is important, because that is how athletes improve. Skaters can learn from success or from failure, but the latter tends to be the greater source of insights that lead to improvement, if for no other reason that falling short of a goal somewhat forces you to examine ways to do better. Coaches can remind athletes that they are not failing so much as they are learning. Tat will keep your skaters encouraged and willing to try new skills and stick with it until they are proficient. Again, this has a great payoff beyond


the actual skating competition. In all other facets of their lives, your skaters will have to try new things. Sometimes they will succeed, other times not. Te better you equip them to learn from success and failure, the more able they will be to adapt, learn, and improve through whatever life throws at them.


M MISTAKES


Legendary college basketball coach John Wooden once said, “Te team that makes the most mistakes probably will win.” Mistakes often result from pushing the envelope, taking chances, stretching limits, growing and learning. Athletes who are staid, stale and predictable eventually suffer in terms of competitive results and may not persevere in the sport because they grow bored with pursuing the aesthetically safer, less-challenging routines. It is fine to have a system and to coach


skaters to compete within it. However, coaches who overreact to mistakes cause their athletes stress and make them so nervous about mistakes that they end up making even more. Or, skaters become so intent on avoiding mistakes that they skate too tentatively to achieve all of which they may be capable.


In sports, as in life, PCA hopes coaches


help their athletes go for greatness. Emphasizing effort and learning are terrific starts. Te finishing touch is to let them know mistakes are OK, especially if they learn from their mistakes and continue giving full effort. For more than 1,000 free resources


for youth and high school coaches, parents, athletes and administrators, visit PCADevZone.org and use the search field to find videos featuring U.S. Olympic figure skater Rachael Flatt.


David Jacobson is senior marketing communications and content manager at PCA. He has coached and officiated youth sports, including


baseball, softball, basketball and flag football.


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visit us today to learn more at www.skatepsa.com ISI EDGE SUMMER 2016 19


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