This Month's SEL Conversation / July 2024

This month’s SEL artwork comes from students in California

Dear Carolina,

As you watch the world’s best athletes compete in the Summer Olympics, notice what fuels their strength and speed. Beyond physical abilities, you’ll see an incredible display of social and emotional skills like self-motivation, resilience, teamwork, and leadership. 

Like kicking a soccer ball or landing a back handspring, these skills are learned and practiced. Social and emotional skills lay the foundation for athletic excellence—or a fun game with friends. So whether training for, or tuning into, the Olympics, consider:

How can social and emotional learning (SEL) help build confidence and foster a sense of belonging both on and off the sports field?

Read on for more about how sports and SEL go hand-in-hand.

Great coaches help develop great humans

What makes the greatest coaches stand out? Suzu Cornella, the manager of coaching education for the U.S. Olympics and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), says, “When Olympic athletes talk about their coaches onstage, they don’t speak to the technical skills their coaches have. They talk about the positive relationships and environments they’ve fostered to help these athletes thrive.” USOPC’s Million Coaches Challenge and free Connection Based Coaching courses support coaches in developing social and emotional skills in themselves and young athletes, so they can make a transformational impact well beyond the field of play.

Building SEL skills through sports

Sports are goal-oriented, often done in teams, and naturally provide practice in managing emotions, conflict, and adversity. In other words, they’re a powerful opportunity for SEL! To intentionally build SEL skills through sports, the Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay prioritizes fostering relationships. Students play icebreaker games, and coaches use warmup time to check in on how each child is doing. They offer constructive feedback on social and emotional skills (e.g., “You reacted to that problem well,” or “You were able to regulate those emotions well”). When young athletes get upset, coaches give them time to cool down and then talk through ways to manage similar situations in the future.

The power of play

While organized sports are excellent SEL skill-builders, uniforms, referees, and rulebooks are not required for children to reap the social and emotional benefits of play. Like organized sports, all types of play offer opportunities to explore, imagine, and create. When children play with others, they practice cooperation, communication, and conflict resolution. Construction play, like building with LEGOs, activates children’s problem-solving skills. And through dramatic play, children take on the perspectives of others and practice empathy. So this summer, get out there and play!

Ready to dive deeper on SEL and academic integration? Join us in our hometown of Chicago for the 2024 SEL Exchange (November 12-14) as we explore the latest innovations and evidence for advancing SEL in support of every students’ academic thriving and lifelong learning. Register now to save your spot today!

Interested in sponsoring? The SEL Exchange offers a unique opportunity to connect with a global audience of 1,800+ education influencers and decision-makers. Check out our Advocate Level for benefits including lead generation and a sponsored session. Sign up now to take full advantage of all benefits and before all the spots are filled! Learn more.

Community Spotlight

Check out this SEL blog post

Share With Your Network

• CASEL Blog: SEL Through Art: The Get to Know Me Project

• Parents Magazine: Bring the Olympics to Your Home With These Gold-Medal Worthy Family Games

• August 6: Centering Youth Thriving webinar: Starting with the Goal

• November 12-14: The SEL Exchange returns to Chicago. Register now and save!

Are you interested in writing for CASEL’s blog, Constellations? Learn more about what we’re looking for and how to pitch your idea!



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