Wow! Thank you SO MUCH for signing up to receive this weekly email and become a part of this new community. I've been blown away by the number of you who have signed up over the last 36 hours and am excited for what's ahead for all of us this season!

If you don't already know me, my name is Matt McLeod. I spent the last 14 years as a high school head coach in Texas and Oklahoma. I've had the awesome privilege of winning a ton of games and achieving amazing success. I've worked with pro players, and I've worked with 3rd graders. I've traveled the globe with the game and loved every minute of it.

If this is our first experience together, you can learn all you want about me (and more!) by clicking here.

But enough about me. 😂 Let's get down to the gist of this newsletter.

After all those years of coaching, I decided to step away from my own personal sideline in hopes to serve and support three distinct groups of people in any given gym.

• The coaches on the sideline.
• The players on the court.
• The parents in the stands.

You see, I believe for any program to truly be successful, attention must be paid to all three of those groups. But let's be honest with ourselves, at any given time, these groups are probably frustrated with each other.

Coaches are upset with their players' execution or how parents are acting in the stands. Players are frustrated with their coach's game planning or are tired of hearing the same comments over and over again from their parents on the ride home. Parents get fed up with a coaching system or strategy they disagree with or can't believe their player's lack of effort on the court.

And that's why I'm here to help. 😁

Over my career, I had the privilege of leading four incredible programs that truly found success across all three levels - the coaches, the players, and the parents. We were never perfect, but hopefully, the things I've learned can help you, no matter which of those three categories you find yourself in!

Each week I'll be sending out a newsletter that includes thoughts, videos, articles, etc. that can apply to any and all of us. And starting soon, I'll also be sending out additional content to each specific group so we can dive in deeper. More on that to come next week. For now, scroll down to enjoy a weekly share for each of our three groups.

If you enjoy what you see, I'd love your help to get the word out on our newfound community! Simply click on an icon below and the wonder of the internet will do the rest.

Enjoy!

Matt

With the season just kicking off, now is the ideal time to set the tone for who you are going to be during practice. And while not everyone can lead their team by being the dominant player in practice every day, ANYONE can lead by having a dominant voice in practice every day. 

Maybe it's just me, but doesn't it seem like every coach is always begging (or demanding 😉) for more communication? So consider this, what if you decided to communicate in such a special way that your coach was drawn to you during practice on a daily basis. It's not even about exactly what you say, but rather how you say it. Consistency > Perfection

Check out this great example from PJ Tucker during a recent Team USA practice. 

I'll just flat out say it ... being a sports parent is harder than it looks! Early in my coaching career, it was so easy for me to judge parents in the stands by their actions (or lack thereof). I would constantly say things like, "The easiest place to coach from is the stands!" or "If they think they know better, let them come sit in my seat for a game!"

And then my own kids started playing organized sports. 😂

Don't get me wrong, there's definitely a right and wrong approach to being a sports parent. But just like anything else in life, it takes intentional work to show up in a special way. With the start of another basketball season upon us, I'd encourage you to check out this great article (link below) and help your child have their best season yet!

8 Constructive Ways to Push Your Child in Youth Sports