Coaches demonstrate positive coaching principles, superior sportsmanship, and personal integrity

Studies indicate that coaches have the greatest effect on how players learn and play sports. The Saskatoon Field Lacrosse Association is committed to attracting and retaining coaches who demonstrate positive coaching principles, superior sportsmanship, and personal integrity. Coaches will be encouraged and supported in their efforts to continually improve their own effectiveness by attending coaching clinics and receiving regular feedback.

Every player has a right to enjoy their experience with the sport of lacrosse and to learn positive character lessons that will help them in every aspect of their life. We expect our coaches to embody the following principles:

1. A Positive Coach is a positive motivator and refuses to motivate through fear, intimidation, or shame. He/she establishes order and discipline in a positive manner.
2. A Positive Coach works to remain positive even through losing streaks. He/she recognizes that it is often when things go wrong that a coach can have the most positive impact and teach the most important lessons. Regardless of the adversity involved, he/she refuses to demean his/herself or his/her players by resorting to fear, intimidation, or shame. He/she always treats athletes with respect regardless of how well they perform.
3. A Positive Coach, coaches for mastery rather than for victory, which he sees as a by-product of the pursuit of excellence. He focuses on effort rather than outcome, learning rather than comparison to others.
4. A Positive Coach recognizes that mistakes are an important part of learning and inevitable part of learning and encourages an environment in which players are willing to risk making a mistake.
5. A Positive Coach sets standards of continuous learning and improvement for his/herself and his/her players. He/she encourages and inspires his/her players, whatever their level of mastery, to strive to get better without threatening them. Pre-practice/game meetings are utilized for establishing individual/team goals. Post-practice/game meetings are utilized to provide productive feedback and facilitate social interaction and bonding. He/she is committed to becoming the best coach he/she can be and continually seeks to improve his/her own effectiveness.
6. A Positive Coach ‘Honours the Game.’ He/she feels an obligation to the sport and the players he/she coaches. He loves his/her sport and shares his/her love and enjoyment with his/her players. He/she feels privileged to be able to take part in his/her sport.
7. A Positive Coach respects his/her opponents, recognizing that a worthy opponent will push his/her and his/her team to do their best.
8. A Positive Coach understands the important role that officials play and strives to show them respect even when he/she disagrees with their decisions. This is a Zero Tolerance Policy issue and is an important part of honouring the game. On this issue, children will pay more attention to how you act than what you say.
9. A Positive Coach values the rich tradition of his/her sport and works to honour the spirit as well as the letter of its rules.
10. A Positive Coach demonstrates personal integrity and would rather lose than win by dishonouring the game. Dishonouring the game is worse than defeat.