Recent media attention has been given to connection between sports and its powerful effect on youth, particularly the power of sport to help youth heal from trauma. A recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics by Molly Easterline has caught national media attention including the recent article in the New York Times “Team Sports May Help Children Deal With Trauma” (by Perri Klass) and NPR’s “Playing Teen Sports May Protect from Some Damages of Childhood Trauma” by Susie Neilson. These reports suggest that organized sport participation may be helpful for kids who are dealing with childhood trauma. Evidence shows that sport can aid in the development of social-emotional skills of persistence, empathy, collaboration and self-awareness, along with conflict management skills and ways to establish healthy relationships.
In the field of Sports-Based Youth Development the conversation surrounding trauma-responsive coaching has been emerging over the last several years, with organizations such as Play Like a Champion creating training resources and tools for coaches on trauma responsive coaching, and more recently “We” Coach publishing a white paper for coaches “Why Trauma-Informed Sport is Vital.” It has become increasingly clear that sports can serve as a platform for promoting healthy self-worth, positive attitudes around gender and racial equity, and conflict resolution without violence.
Futures Without Violence has developed two programs that provide valuable resources in this area.
Coaching with Courage
With youth sports programming hungry for resources to create trauma-responsive environments, Futures Without Violence has created a new, four-part training program divided that walks coaches through the areas of youth development that contribute to healthy relationships. The training program emphasizes and enhances social-emotional skills, trauma-responsive coaching, and equity in sports programming. As coaches move from one quarter of the program to the next, they will learn specific actions and activities to help athletes build healthy relationships. Each quarter features an educational video and activities that coaches use with their young athletes to build connectedness, foster a positive sports culture, and ultimately support young people’s ability to thrive both on and off the field. Coaches, athletes, and educators from around the U.S. attended the launch of Coaching With Courage at FUTURES headquarters in San Francisco’s Presidio on June 25th. Visit www.CoachingWithCourage.org to learn more or contact CoachingWithCourage@FuturesWithoutViolence.org to bring Coaching With Courage to your community.
Coaching Boys Into Men
With over a decade of implementation with communities nationally and internationally, FUTURES’ program Coaching Boys Into Men (CBIM) provided the basis for the Coaching with Courage curriculum. CBIM is the only evidence-based prevention program that trains and motivates high school coaches to teach their young male athletes healthy relationship skills and that violence never equals strength. Athletic coaches play an extremely influential and unique role in the lives of young men. Because of these relationships, coaches are poised to positively influence how young men think and behave, both on and off the field. CBIM is specifically developed for coaches to be easily incorporated into their regular coaching strategy and sessions. .
In 2012, Coaching Boys Into Men underwent a rigorous three year evaluation in Sacramento, California funded by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The study found that athletes who participated in the program were significantly more likely to intervene when witnessing abusive or disrespectful behaviors among their peers, and were also more likely to report less abuse perpetration.
CBIM materials are organized into easy-to-use toolkits inducing the curriculum found in the Coaches Kit. Download these toolkits at www.CoachesCorner.org and explore the website for more resources to support implementation of Coaching Boys Into Men, including guidance for violence prevention advocates, school administrator, parent, or community leaders to bring CBIM to local athletic programs across their communities and across the nation. Contact CoachesCorner@FuturesWithoutViolence.org to bring Coaching Boys Into Men to your community.
Athletes As Leaders
Athletes As Leaders, created by the Harborview Center for Sexual Assault and Traumatic Stress, is an adapted program for high school female athletes and a Coaching Boys Into Men companion program. The program aims to empower female-identified youth to take an active role in promoting healthy relationships and ending sexual violence. Visit the Athletes as Leaders website for more information.
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