{"id":11577,"date":"2025-06-12T12:11:25","date_gmt":"2025-06-12T16:11:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=11577"},"modified":"2025-07-07T08:11:53","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T12:11:53","slug":"helping-young-athletes-with-coaches-who-yell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-young-athletes-with-coaches-who-yell\/","title":{"rendered":"Helping Young Athletes with\u00a0Coaches Who Yell"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidssportspsychology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/coaches-who-yell.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3008\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Nobody_Likes_it_When_Coaches_Yell_at_Them\"><\/span>Nobody Likes it When Coaches Yell at Them. <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-young-athletes-with-coaches-who-yell\/#Nobody_Likes_it_When_Coaches_Yell_at_Them\" >Nobody Likes it When Coaches Yell at Them.<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-young-athletes-with-coaches-who-yell\/#When_coaches_yell_at_them_young_athletes_will\" >When coaches yell at them, young athletes will:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-young-athletes-with-coaches-who-yell\/#Related_Kids_Sports_Psychology_Articles\" >Related Kids Sports Psychology Articles:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-young-athletes-with-coaches-who-yell\/#THE_COMPOSED_SPORTS_KID_DIGITAL_DOWNLOAD\" >THE COMPOSED SPORTS KID (DIGITAL DOWNLOAD)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>Coaches should treat their athletes with respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, events don\u2019t always unfold as we would like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Coaches <\/strong>who <strong>yell<\/strong> feel as if it is a wake-up call and the best way to deliver feedback or instructions. Most of these coaches have no idea how to communicate effectively. They may not be aware of how they affect young athletes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When coaches <strong>yell<\/strong>, athletes lose confidence, worry about making mistakes and lose interest in their sport. In some cases, kids\u2019 self-esteem takes a hit and they end up believing, \u201cI\u2019m not good enough,\u201d \u201cI\u2019m a disappointment,\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m a failure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many times, these athletes quit because they no longer enjoy competing. While kids can\u2019t control how their coaches give instruction, there are ways to minimize the negative impact and even help kids improve their performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_coaches_yell_at_them_young_athletes_will\"><\/span>When coaches <strong>yell<\/strong> at them, young athletes will:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Shut down: Many athletes shut down when <strong>coaches yell<\/strong>. It doesn\u2019t matter if the coach has insightful information to build their game. For these athletes, shutting down is an automatic response to the chaos. Shutting down means kids build an invisible wall around themselves. While it may block out some noise, it prevents athletes from dealing with their feelings or improving their game.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Take it personally. Some athletes only hear the tone. No matter what the coach says, it is drowned out by the <strong>yelling<\/strong>. Kids will interpret the loud and negative tone as if there is something wrong with them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Find the message. Some athletes separate the message from the tone. They still aren\u2019t okay with the tone, but they extract what can help their game and discard the rest. This enables these athletes to protect their confidence, sift through the shouting and find information they can apply to elevate their game.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>If their coach is just ranting, these kids chalk it up to the coach having a personal issue. They know it\u2019s inappropriate for <strong>coaches <\/strong>to subject them to <strong>yelling<\/strong>, but they try to avoid allowing it to affect them negatively or lessen how they think about themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If a sport is important to a young athlete, they shouldn\u2019t let anyone don\u2019t steal their joy. Instead, they should look for the message and stay committed to their game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Game 2 of the NBA playoff series between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves, Lakers coach JJ Redick became livid early in the second quarter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Redick called a timeout and was angry with his team for allowing an 8-4 run to open the second and cut the Lakers\u2019 lead to 11. Redick didn\u2019t hold back during the timeout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After the game, Los Angeles Laker LeBron James commented on Redick\u2019s outburst and the importance of separating the message from the tone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe know JJ is going to (flip) out from time to time,\u201d James said. \u201cThat\u2019s JJ. \u2026 At this point, for us, we obviously need to listen to the message and know how it\u2019s delivered. For me, my high school coach my freshman year was kind of the same way. He would (spaz) out on us and you have to be able to understand it\u2019s not how it\u2019s saying it. But we responded out there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dealing with an angry coach isn\u2019t easy, but kids have the power to control their response. A coach\u2019s tone should never define young athletes\u2019 ability or worth. It is crucial to stay focused on what matters: their love for the game and their athletic journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When their coach <strong>yells<\/strong>, kids should take a deep breath, extract any useful information, discard the noise and remind themselves why they started competing in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"related-articles-on-hockey-mental-game\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Kids_Sports_Psychology_Articles\"><\/span>Related Kids Sports Psychology Articles:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-yelling-from-the-sidelines-distracts-athletes\/\"><strong>How Yelling From The Sidelines Distracts Athletes<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/when-coaches-yell-insult-and-intimidate-sports-kids\/\"><strong>When Coaches Yell, Insult and Intimidate Sports Kids<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/the-youth-coach-who-yells-but-the-team-wins\/\"><strong>The Youth Coach Who Yells\u2013But the Team Wins<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-f49818fa-7c7a-4ee3-b5ee-66581aad2c71\">*Subscribe to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/sports-psychology-podcast-by-peaksports-com\/id152566009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a>&nbsp;on iTunes<br>*Subscribe to <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0ynyaalKxbnNmsoeL8gF5X?si=8224669de9b3435b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a> on Spotify<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"THE_COMPOSED_SPORTS_KID_DIGITAL_DOWNLOAD\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/products\/the-composed-sports-kid-digital\">THE COMPOSED SPORTS KID (DIGITAL DOWNLOAD)<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidssportspsychology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/the-composed-sports-kid-small.jpg\" alt=\"Help Athlete Learn Composure\" class=\"wp-image-2100\" style=\"width:160px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The Composed Sports Kid&#8221; audio&nbsp;and workbook digital download program for young athletes and their parents or coach helps kids cope with frustration and anger in sports. Help your sports kids learn how to manage expectations and let go of mistakes so they can keep their head in the game.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>&#8220;Thank you for the Composed Sports Kid online series you have put together. After going through your weekly course mid-season, we did see&nbsp;marked improvement in his enjoyment of the sport. I also wanted to tell you how&nbsp;helpful the course was for me being a parent&nbsp;and being completely lost on how to help a highly competitive, sensitive, and emotional kid. The mini goals&nbsp;altered his focus and helped him to be more emotionally level&nbsp;and he will continue to use them going forward.&#8221;<\/em><br>~&nbsp;<strong>Ralph Fleck, Sports Parent<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-text-align-center wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/products\/the-composed-sports-kid-digital\">GET DETAILS<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nobody Likes it When Coaches Yell at Them. Coaches should treat their athletes with respect. Unfortunately, events don\u2019t always unfold as we would like. Coaches who yell feel as if it is a wake-up call and the best way to deliver feedback or instructions. Most of these coaches have no &#8230; <a title=\"Helping Young Athletes with\u00a0Coaches Who Yell\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-young-athletes-with-coaches-who-yell\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Helping Young Athletes with\u00a0Coaches Who Yell\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11578,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[264,309,301],"class_list":["post-11577","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kids-in-sports","tag-confidence-in-young-athletes","tag-confidence-in-youth-sports","tag-pressure-in-youth-sports"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11577","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11577"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11577\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11578"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11577"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11577"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11577"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}