Best Practices for Coaching Girls’ Sports

​An account technician for the VA hospital in Roanoke, Virginia, Bryant Livingston spent a combined 25 years in the US Army and Marine Core. A sports fan and coach for local teams, Bryant Livingston coached girls’ junior varsity basketball for a year.

Although female athletes may possess the skill and talent needed to succeed at their sport of choice, there are many external and internal pressures that hold them back. A coach must understand these pressures in order to provide salient guidance. Athletes often face two similar conflicts: an expectation of perfection, often imposed by others; and impostor syndrome (wherein a player does not feel like they belong on a team, no matter their skill level). It is important to emphasize to all team members that mistakes happen, and to share instances when you as a coach have made mistakes. Doing so will ease the stress athletes feel and help them cope with failure more easily.

Creating a welcoming space also helps athletes perform at their best. Allow time before practice for teammates to socialize, and begin and end each meeting with positive reinforcement. Schedule one-on-one sessions with each team member in order to refine her skills and bond with her, cultivating more than a merely professional relationship. Give clear, direct feedback without sounding overly harsh or soft, respecting each athlete’s abilities and demonstrating that you value her effort.

Bryant Livingston,

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