Youth sports should not only involve teaching the skills of the game, but also core values that children can bring through life with them. Core Values in youth sports are principles that guide how children participate in sports, and how they treat their teammates, opponents, and themselves. These values can help children develop character, resilience, and teamwork skills that can be applied in other areas of life.
West Lynn Little League is proud to roll out “The WLLL STAMP”. Our own set of core values that we plan to use while guiding and coaching the players of West Lynn Little League.
Sportsmanship
Sportsmanship is defined as the fair and generous behavior or treatment of others, especially in a sports contest, and is not just meant for players but also for coaches. This can be related to youth sports in multiple ways:
-Showing a positive attitude while winning or losing
-Being respectful of umpires, other teams, coaches, families, and fields
-Playing but the rules
Teamwork
Baseball is a TEAM sport. Working together is essential to putting forth the best effort possible. A single player cannot play a baseball game!
Accountability
Players and coaches need to know when they are doing things incorrectly. This includes baseball skills and attitudes on the bench (sportsmanship). We know that everyone makes mistakes and that those mistakes are corrected by owning them, then correcting them.
Motivate
Keeping players motivated helps them move forward and stay connected with the sport. This can be done by setting individual and team goals, being around positive role models, proper communication, and positive reinforcement.
Perseverance
Perseverance is a key skill for youth sports athletes that can help them achieve their goals and succeed in the long term. It's important to teach young athletes how to persevere through challenges and make adjustments to their performance.