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Why Coaches Should Avoid Criticizing Immediately After A Mistake

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Tod Creneti (@CoachCreneti) is the PCA-Tampa Bay (@PCA_TampaBay) Training Manager. In this position, Tod oversees all things related to Tampa Bay trainers and workshop delivery. He is also the head football coach at St. Stephen's Cathlolic School. Since the early 1990s, Tod has been serving young people and their families as a school administrator, teacher, coach and minister. Tod has worked at the high school level in Virginia, South Carolina and Florida and spent two years at the college level at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.

In this video, Creneti talks about when and how to talk to an athlete after he or she has made a mistake. He says that immediately after a mistake is made, an athlete may be frustrated and tight, so that is not a teachable moment. Once the athlete is willing to talk about it, then it is important to present a potentially positive outcome if the mistake is corrected. Kids are much more willing to listen when they see an outcome that can help the team be more successful in the future.