Youth Sports as a Development Zone

No matter our role in the sport of baton twirling — athlete, coach, judge, official, parent, etc. — we must never forget the most important virtue of youth sports: that it is, at all times, an avenue for character education.

In his TEDx talk below, Jim Thompson — faculty member at Stanford University and founder of Positive Coaching Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to using sports to develop “Better Athletes, Better People” — describes the importance of approaching youth sports as a Development Zone®, providing teachable moments for valuable life lessons. By focusing on character education, “Double Goal Coaches” can develop “Triple-Impact Competitors®” — competitors who not only elevate themselves and their teammates, but also their sport.