Sportsleader

St. Bernard is proudly implementing Sportsleader. SportsLeader is a virtue-based mentoring and motivation program for coaches of all ages, youth through professional, for boys, girls, young men and young women. It is for schools and teams, whether public or private, who are interested in a structured, intentional and specific method and curriculum to help teach virtue. For more information on the program in general, visit www.sportsleader.org.

Our specific implementation and goals are currently:

Parent/Child Events - "Father-Son jersey night" & "Letters to Mom"

Prayer before and/or after every practice and game - This can be as simple as and Our Father, a Glory Be or a Hail Mary. Coaches and kids alike may lead the prayer that can be your own or a prayer from the heart. The most important aspect is continuity with the kids, that they pray at games and practices, just like they pray before everything at school.

Virtue Stories - use your own or have the kids re-tell you stories from last season. you are familiar with this already.

Mentoring!! Individualized mentoring is the KEY component. All teams should be participating in this aspect.

#1: Notice what the player is doing well as a person. Praise his effort in virtue, respect or responsibility, or teamwork or diligence or courage, etc. Make goal suggestions on things that needs attention.

#2: Notice what the player is doing well as a player. Praise his skill and make goal suggestions on things that needs attention.

#3: Set a goal to do something for a teammate. Ask the player for the teammate and the reason and suggest/talk about what things could be done.

**** The next week, go over the results of the previous week's suggestions.

IMPORTANT: This is not expected to take more than 30sec per player. Optimally, you would talk to 2-3 players per practice and your assistant coach(es) would do the same with a different 2-3 players.

Through individualized attention:

#1: Improves player's virtue

#2: Improves player's sport skill

#3: Improves team chemistry/teamwork.