Ep. 169: Better Youth Coaching. Better Development. Better Athletes. — Dan Stratford

In this episode of the Mental Mettle Podcast, I sit down with Dan Stratford, owner and partner at Kick It 3v3 Soccer, for a conversation that goes far beyond soccer.Dan and I dig into a problem I think every youth sports coach and parent needs to think about:Are we giving our youngest athletes the coaching they actually need?Too often, the youngest players get the least experienced coaches, even though coaching young athletes requires a very different skill set. We talk about why youth coaches need to understand the developmental stage of the kids they're coaching—and why development should be the priority over simply winning games.We also get into the role of 3v3 soccer and why small-sided games can be such a powerful developmental tool. More touches. More decisions. More creativity. More opportunities to make mistakes, solve problems and learn.Some of the big ideas we discuss: Why our youngest athletes may need our best coaches Why development is always winning, but winning isn't always development The danger of parents tying their ego to their child's success  Why being on the "best" team isn't necessarily best for development  How small-sided games encourage creativity and decision-making  Why kids shouldn't be coached like miniature professional athletes  How we can redefine what "winning" means in youth sports  And ultimately, why we have youth sports in the first placeDan brings decades of experience as a player, coach, parent and youth-sports leader to this conversation, and I think there's something here for coaches and parents in every sport, not just soccer.Learn more about Dan and Kick It 3v3 Soccer: Kick It 3v3 SoccerAbout Coach Matt Thomann & Mental MettleI'm Coach Matt Thomann, an ICF-certified coach and the founder of Mental Mettle Coaching, where I help athletes, coaches and educators develop the mindset and mental skills needed to perform, lead and thrive.Through individual coaching, team coaching, professional development and speaking, Mental Mettle focuses on building confidence, resilience, self-awareness and mental toughness.🌐 Mental Mettle Coaching: mentalmettlelifecoaching.com