The Positive Youth Sports Model (TM) is an action model for promoting positive youth development through sports. In the Positive Youth Sports Model:
- Coaches, parents, program directors, and board members
- promote positive youth development
- by teaching, enforcing, affirming, and modeling
- positive life skills for every athlete.
The Positive Youth Sports Model was developed by Community Health Solutions based on extensive research on 'what works' in athletic performance, positive youth development, teamwork, and leadership. The Positive Youth Sports Model applies to athletes of all ages, sports, and competitive levels, right up through high school varsity and elite club teams.
Positive Youth Development
In the Positive Youth Sports Model the first and most important mission of youth sports is positive youth development. Positive youth development is the process of helping young people grow into healthy, ethical, caring, and responsible people. The process happens as young people are positively influenced by their family and community environment. Youth sports can be one of the most important community influences on positive youth development.
Positive Life Skills
The Positive Youth Sports Model uses sport skill instruction as a gateway for teaching seven life skill sets including. These life skills are chosen because they are essential for success in athletics and beyond.
- School Engagement
- Healthy Living
- Positive Character
- Self Direction
- Teamwork
- Leadership
- Community Engagement
Adult TEAM Leadership
The Positive Youth Sports Model calls upon coaches, parents, program directors, and board members to work from their distinctive positions to help youth develop positive life skills. This works best when we use 'TEAM Leadership' principles to:
- Teach positive life skills
- Enforce positive standards
- Affirm positive behaviors
- Model the way for our athletes.
Positive Impact
When the adults involved in youth sports consistently teach, enforce, affirm, and model positive life skills, there is a definite benefit to the athletes and the community. The athletes benefit from positive growth and development. The community benefits from the presence of positive youth and from the positive community relationships developed when people from all walks of life come together to witness and support youth sports at their best.
Getting Started
Contact us for free advice and tools to help you put The Positive Youth Sports Model to work for your athletes.