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Postive Coaching Alliance

Positive Coaching Alliance

Our Mission
Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) is a national nonprofit organization committed to providing all youth and high school athletes a positive, character-building youth sports experience.

Talking Points by PCA

They say talk is cheap. But when you sign up for your free subscription to PCA'sTalking Points, you’ll see that cheap only refers to price, and that the talk itself is invaluable.

This 13-week e-mail series provides coaches key topics and points to discuss with their players during each week of the season. Each Talking Points issue sparks conversation between coaches and players that can lead to:
• improved athletic performance
• stronger team bonds
• the teaching and learning of life lessons through sports.

Positive Coaching Alliance with OBA

The Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) is a nonprofit organization founded at Stanford University with the mission to transform youth sports so sports can transform youth. PCA was created to transform the culture of youth sports to give all young athletes the opportunity for a positive, character-building experience.  The three main themes of Positive Coaching Alliance are: Redefining "Winner", Filling Emotional Tanks and Honoring the Game.  PCA key principals include:  Sportsmanship, Honoring the game, Positive leadership, and ROOTS – respect for Rules, Opponents, Officials, Teammates and Self.  Click here for more information on Positive Coaching Alliance: www.positivecoach.org   Be sure to also check out their practical tips for coaching and parent competitive athletes at: PCA's 2 Minute Drills for Coaches and Parents

Orinda Baseball Association continues our successful affiliation with PCA through yearly workshops and the following guidelines:

POSITIVE COACHING ALLIANCE FOR OBA TEAM LEADERS
•     All managers & coaches, including assistant coaches, must be PCA certified by attending an OBA-sponsored PCA workshop.  Assistant coaches are defined as parents that are on the field or in the dugout during games.
•        One of the team leaders (the manager or primary coach) will be designated as the PCA contact for each team. 
•        The team’s PCA rep is requested to communicate OBA’s affiliation with PCA to parents, and encourage their participation at the parent workshop.  The rep would also support parent understanding of the PCA philosophy, which includes fostering sportsmanship and positive behavior at games, and would intervene as needed to insure compliance with these expectations.
•        After certification, coaches with substantial previous PCA experience may request to skip alternating years - requests to be evaluated by commissioner, with consideration given a to track record of player/parent satisfaction.

POSITIVE COACHING ALLIANCE FOR OBA PARENTS
•     The Parents' workshop is a unique opportunity for parents to participate with OBA, and help create the environment they want their children to enjoy.  It also offers practical tips on using a child's athletic experience for positive discussions that develop skills in all aspects of their life.  Workshop attendance is strongly recommended.

POSITIVE COACHING ALLIANCE FOR OBA PLAYERS
 •       The Athlete's workshop for Bronco and Pony-level players focuses on Personal Mastery/Making Oneself better; Leadership - Making your teammates better; and Honoring the Game - Making the sport better.  Workshop attendance is strongly recommended.

WORKSHOPS WILL BE HELD AS FOLLOWS:
Managers/Coaches Feb 7, 2017 (Tuesday.) 7:00 to 9:00 pm Orinda Community Center (exact room TBD)

Parents Feb 8, 2017 (Wed.) 8:00-9:00 pm Orinda Community Center-Library Auditorium
Players (Bronco 680/Pony) February 8, 2017 (Wed.) 8:00 to 9:00 pm Garden Room

Player Advocate

The Player Advocate role is a new committee position that manages OBA’s relationship with the Positive Coaching Alliance, and also looks at ways to improve the overall experience for the players and families.  The Player Advocate works with the Division Commissioners, Managers and Coaches to incorporate the PCA philosophy into their practices and games, promote better communication among coaches, players and parents, and help facilitate a resolution when issues come up.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF PLAYERS, PARENTS, MANAGERS, & OBA
•     Our common ground should be the OBA mission statement and a shared interest in having a fun, competitive, and positive environment for children to experience baseball.  Read OBA's Mission Statement
•        The best interests of the players should be primary, and a winning season should not come at the expense of an individual player’s development, well-being, or self-esteem.  However, OBA cannot provide a perfect environment for every player’s needs, and players and parents should recognize that managers are responsible for an entire team’s development in a competitive environment.
•        Players, parents, and coaches all bear responsibility to insure that the OBA experience is satisfying for everyone involved.

GUIDELINES FOR MANAGERS AND COACHES
•     Managers and coaches are encouraged to have open communication channels with parents to keep small issues from becoming big ones.
•        Stating goals & coaching philosophy upfront is recommended, but each child is unique and coaches should also be open to hearing feedback throughout the season.

GUIDELINES FOR RESOLVING PLAYER/PARENT ISSUES
•     The most important constituent in OBA is the player, and the focus of resolving issues should be to empower players to communicate and grow as individuals in the context of being a member of a team.
•        Parents should facilitate discussions with managers as needed, and advocate for their child when necessary, but also distinguish between their child’s needs and their own personal expectations.
•        Issues should ideally be handled between players/parents and managers, and escalate as needed to division commissioners.  Commissioners or parents can request the Player Advocate's assistance in facilitating a resolution.