RESILIENCE CONTRIBUTES TO OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE ON THE PLAYING FIELD AND OFF

Resilience is the ability to navigate through life’s challenges and find ways to bounce back and grow. Often in sports we refer to it as grit, backbone, endurance or intestinal fortitude. Whatever you call it- resilience is important for healthy relationships at home, school and work and this generation of kids seems to need more of 

it.  Psychology Today recently published an article, “Declining Student Resilience: A Serious Problem for Colleges” (September, 2015) lamenting the increased neediness of students in solving everyday problems. Also this year, The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) recently released the results of a survey, in which hiring managers prioritized the following soft skill attributes when recruiting in 2015:

• Ability to work in a team structure
• Ability to make decisions and solve problems
• Ability to plan, organize and prioritize work     
• Ability to obtain and process information
• Ability to communicate verbally

Playing Sports Builds Resilience

HandsOnSports Foundation believes part of organized sports is teaching young people how to nurture supportive relationships and develop coping skills. Supportive relationships are nurtured through open communication, consistency in interaction, mutual respect, and opportunities to participate in meaningful activities.                                                                       

Communication

Effective communication skills are modeled on the field by the coach and experience is gained by the players through active listening and displaying appropriate emotional responses when things don’t go as planned.

Coping Skills

Solution oriented coping skills such as planning, prioritizing, and impulse control are modeled and reinforced by creating and running plays. Working together as a team toward a shared goal develops emotional oriented coping skills such as empathy, acceptance, and optimism.