How to Coach, Parent, and Lead for Life After Sport with Coach John Tauer

Coach John Tauer is a distinguished basketball coach at St. Thomas University with a doctorate in social psychology which provides him a unique blend of academic expertise and coaching prowess to the hardwoods.  

Coach Tauer has recently led St. Thomas's transition from Division III to Division I, he has established himself as an authority on sports psychology, particularly focusing on the dynamics between parents, coaches, and young athletes. 

Coach Tauer is also the author of a book addressing the concept of "WASP" (Well-Intentioned Over-Involved Sports Parent), drawing from his extensive experience running basketball camps and his academic research on motivation in sports. 

Reflection Questions

1. How might your own expectations and involvement in your child's or athletes' sports experience be impacting their ability to develop resilience and cope with failure?

2. In what specific ways could you reframe your definition of success in youth sports beyond winning to focus more on character development, teamwork, and personal growth?

3. When was the last time you allowed your athlete to experience a natural consequence in sports without intervening, and what did you observe about their growth from that experience?

4. How are you currently balancing the desire to protect your child/athlete from disappointment with the need to help them develop coping skills for future challenges?

5. What role are you currently playing in your child's or athletes' sports experience (coach, parent, or fan), and how might shifting your approach in that role better support their development of autonomy and intrinsic motivation?

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