Jason Sacks

“For the longest time, it feels like quality coaching on paper has been like a two-legged stool. Health and safety and X’s and O’s. Part of the Million Coaches Challenge when we launched it in 2021 was to add a third leg to that stool and redefine what it means to be a quality coach and add a third leg around youth development and athlete-centered practices.” — Kevin Connors On The Way of Champions podcast, hosts Dr. Jerry Lynch and John O’Sullivan @CTGProjectHQ talk with Kevin Connors of @scefdn about redefining quality coaching to prioritize youth development and create more positive, athlete-centered experiences in sport. Listen: youtube.com/watch?v=IDSP815O… #MillionCoachesChallenge #YouthSports

This week, our Managing Director Kevin Connors joined leaders from across youth sports at @NRPA_news first-ever Youth Sports Summit to talk about what it takes to make great coaching the norm. A few of our favorite takeaways: • Jason Sacks of @PositiveCoachUS spoke to the power of parks and recreation programs as places where kids already gather, and the role coaches play in helping them feel connected. • Josh Throckmorton of @PhilaYouthSport reflected on the need to stop treating coaches like an infinite resource. Supporting them means asking what they need and making the role more sustainable. • Christine Bright of the @CHJSorg underscored the importance of supporting coaches the way we want them to support young people. That work is at the heart of #EmpowerEveryCoach, and it was meaningful to have EEC Partners NRPA, Positive Coaching Alliance, and CHJS represented in the conversation. Thank you to the panelists and the NRPA community for an energizing discussion about building a future where coaches have what they need to help every young person thrive! #MillionCoachesChallenge #YouthSports Photo credit: Scott Spitzer Photography