Coach Up! Team Up! Script

Introduction & Warm-Up: Mindset Check (7 minutes)

Teacher: "Hey everyone! Welcome! Before we dive into today's topic, let's start with a quick 'Mindset Check.' I want you to think about a time recently – maybe in practice, a game, or even a class – when someone gave you feedback or a correction. It could be your coach, a teammate, a parent, or even a teacher.

Take a moment to remember that moment. How did you feel when you first heard the feedback? What was your initial reaction? You don't need to share this out loud, just think about it for yourself. For example, did you feel defensive? Confused? Motivated? Frustrated?

Alright, now that you've had a moment to reflect, who would be willing to share, generally, what their initial reaction sometimes is to feedback? (Listen to 2-3 student responses)."

Teacher: "Thanks for sharing! It's totally normal to have different reactions, and today we're going to talk about how we can manage those reactions to become even better athletes and teammates."

What is Coachability? (10 minutes)

Teacher: (Display Slide Deck: Coach Up! Team Up! - Slide 2: "What is Coachability?")

"So, what does it truly mean to be 'coachable'? Take a look at the slide. It means being open and responsive to feedback, instruction, and guidance from coaches and teammates. It's about being willing to learn and grow.

Think about it: Why is being coachable so important in sports? How does it help you as an individual athlete? How does it help your team?

(Listen to a few student responses, guiding them to connect coachability with improvement, adapting, learning new strategies, and overall team performance.)

Teacher: "Exactly! A coachable athlete is someone who takes feedback, processes it, and tries to make changes. This is super important because it directly impacts your ability to transfer skills from practice to games. If a coach corrects your shooting form in practice, and you're coachable, you'll work on it, and eventually, that improved form will show up in a game.

(Display Slide Deck: Coach Up! Team Up! - Slide 3: "The LUAA Feedback Framework")

"To help us be more coachable, I want to introduce a simple framework: LUAA. It stands for Listen, Understand, Apply, and Ask.

• Listen: When someone gives you feedback, listen with an open mind. Don't interrupt or get defensive right away. Just hear them out.
• Understand: Make sure you know what they mean. If you're confused, ask a clarifying question like, 'Can you show me what you mean?' or 'So, you want me to try stepping with my left foot first?'
• Apply: The whole point of feedback is to make a change. Try to put their advice into action. It might feel awkward or uncomfortable at first, and that's okay!
• Ask: If you've tried to apply it and you're still struggling, don't be afraid to ask for more guidance. 'I tried that, but it's still not working. What else can I try?'

This framework helps you move past that initial reaction we talked about in the warm-up and actually use the feedback to get better."

Being a Great Teammate (10 minutes)

Teacher: (Display Slide Deck: Coach Up! Team Up! - Slide 4: "Being a Great Teammate")

"Now, let's shift gears a little and talk about being a good teammate. What does that mean to you? Is it just about being nice? What actions show that someone is a great teammate?

(Listen to student responses, guiding them towards ideas of support, encouragement, communication, selflessness.)

Teacher: "Spot on! Being a great teammate isn't just about scoring points or making great plays yourself. It's about how you support and uplift everyone around you for the good of the team. We all have different strengths and weaknesses, and a strong team leverages those.

(Display Slide Deck: Coach Up! Team Up! - Slide 5: "Teammate Superpowers!")

"Here are some 'Teammate Superpowers' that can make a huge difference:

• Communication: Talk to each other! On the court, field, or gym floor. Let your teammates know what you're doing, and listen to what they're saying.
• Encouragement: Cheer on successes AND struggles. Celebrate when someone does something great, but also pick them up when they make a mistake or are having a tough time.
• Support: Help when someone is down or confused. If a teammate is struggling to understand a drill, offer to help or show them.
• Adaptability: Be willing to change for the team. This connects directly to coachability! Maybe the coach asks you to play a new position, or adjust your strategy for a specific opponent. A good teammate does what's best for the team, even if it's not their preferred role.

"How do coachability and being a great teammate connect? Can you see how one skill helps with the other?

(Facilitate a short discussion, emphasizing that being coachable helps you adapt for the team, and being a good teammate means you're open to coaching your peers respectfully and receiving coaching from them.)"

Game: The Feedback Relay (13 minutes)

Teacher: (Display Slide Deck: Coach Up! Team Up! - Slide 6: "Practice Time: The Feedback Relay")

"Alright, it's time to put these ideas into practice! We're going to play a game called 'The Feedback Relay.' This game is designed to help us practice giving and receiving feedback in a fun, low-stakes way.

(Explain the rules of Game: The Feedback Relay in detail, including group formation, example scenarios, and scoring.)

"Remember the LUAA framework as you receive feedback, and try to be constructive and supportive when giving feedback.

(Facilitate the game. Observe students, provide positive reinforcement, and gentle reminders of the framework as needed.)

"Great job everyone! What did you notice during the game? Was it easy or hard to apply the LUAA framework? What did you learn about giving or receiving feedback? How did you work together as a team?

(Debrief with students, focusing on their experiences and insights.)"

Cool-Down: My Commitment Card (5 minutes)

Teacher: (Display Slide Deck: Coach Up! Team Up! - Slide 7: "Your Commitment to Grow")

"To wrap things up today, I want you to think about what we discussed and practiced. We covered being coachable and being a great teammate – two really powerful skills.

I'm going to hand out these Cool Down: My Commitment Cards. On your card, I want you to write down one specific commitment you're going to make for yourself this week. This could be something like:

• 'I will try to use the LUAA framework next time my coach gives me feedback.'
• 'I will encourage a teammate who makes a mistake.'
• 'I will ask a clarifying question when I don't understand an instruction.'

"Make it something real and actionable that you can actually try. Keep this card as a reminder.

(Distribute cards and allow time for students to write.)

"Fantastic work today, everyone. Remember, becoming a better athlete and a better teammate is a continuous journey. By working on your coachability and supporting each other, you're not just improving your game, you're building skills that will help you succeed in all areas of your life. Keep coaching up and teaming up!"

Warm Up: Mindset Check

Instructions: Think about a time recently – maybe in practice, a game, or even a class – when someone gave you feedback or a correction. It could be your coach, a teammate, a parent, or a teacher.

Reflect on the following:

1. What was the feedback or correction about?
   
   
   
   

2. What was your initial feeling or reaction when you heard it? (e.g., defensive, confused, motivated, frustrated, embarrassed, grateful)
   
   
   
   

3. Did you make an effort to apply the feedback? Why or why not?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

(Be prepared to share generally about your initial reaction if asked by the teacher.)

Game: The Feedback Relay

Objective: To practice giving and receiving constructive feedback effectively and working as a team to apply it.

Time: 13 minutes

Materials:

• Small cones or markers to set up a simple relay course (optional, can use lines on the floor)
• Scenario cards (see examples below)

Setup:

1. Divide the class into 3-4 small teams (4-6 students per team).
2. Set up a simple relay course for each team. This could be as basic as a start line, a cone 10-15 feet away, and a finish line.
3. Each team will have a stack of "scenario cards" face down at their start line.

How to Play:

1. Student 1 (The "Action Taker") from each team picks a scenario card. This student will act out the scenario and attempt to make a physical movement related to the sport (e.g., a basketball shot, a defensive slide, a soccer pass, a quick sprint start). They should intentionally perform it with a slight, common mistake (e.g., shooting flat-footed, slow hands on defense, kicking with the toe).

2. Student 2 (The "Feedback Giver") observes Student 1. After Student 1 completes the action, Student 2 must give one specific, constructive piece of feedback using positive language (e.g., "Try to jump more when you shoot," "Remember to shuffle your feet, not cross them"). The feedback should be quick and actionable.

3. Student 3 (The "Feedback Receiver") from the same team listens to the feedback given by Student 2. This is where the LUAA framework comes in! Student 3 then attempts to perform the same physical movement as Student 1, but tries to apply the feedback received. Before or after applying, they can briefly understand (ask a quick clarifying question) or ask for more help if needed.

4. Once Student 3 has attempted to apply the feedback, Student 4 becomes the "Action Taker" and the cycle continues with a new scenario card or a variation of the previous one (teacher's discretion, or rotate roles).

5. The goal is not speed, but quality of feedback and application. The teacher will observe each team. Teams earn a point for:

   • Giving clear, constructive feedback (Student 2)
   • Listening and attempting to apply feedback (Student 3) using the LUAA framework (e.g., asking a clarifying question, trying to adjust)
   • Working together respectfully.

6. The game continues for the allotted time, or until all scenario cards are used. The team with the most points wins!

Scenario Card Examples (Print on separate cards):

• Scenario 1: "You're shooting a free throw in basketball, but you're not using your legs enough." (Student acts out a shot, Feedback Giver corrects, Feedback Receiver tries to apply.)
• Scenario 2: "You're playing defense in soccer, but you're standing too flat-footed." (Student acts out defense, Feedback Giver corrects, Feedback Receiver tries to apply.)
• Scenario 3: "You're preparing for a sprint start in track, but your head is coming up too early." (Student acts out a start, Feedback Giver corrects, Feedback Receiver tries to apply.)
• Scenario 4: "You're practicing an overhead serve in volleyball, but you're not tossing the ball high enough." (Student acts out a serve, Feedback Giver corrects, Feedback Receiver tries to apply.)
• Scenario 5: "You're throwing a baseball/softball, but you're not following through with your arm." (Student acts out a throw, Feedback Giver corrects, Feedback Receiver tries to apply.)

Teacher Notes: Emphasize that the focus is on practicing the process, not perfect execution of the skill. Encourage positive reinforcement and supportive communication within teams. The teacher should circulate to offer gentle corrections and praise.

Cool Down: My Commitment Card

Instructions: Reflect on today's lesson about being coachable and a good teammate. Think about one specific thing you want to work on or improve this week, either in a gym setting, during a game, or even in another area of your life.

Write down your commitment below. This is your personal goal to help you grow!

My Commitment:

How I will try to achieve it:

Keep this card as a reminder of your goal! You can put it in your locker, tape it to your mirror, or keep it in your binder.

Game: The Feedback Relay

Objective: To practice giving and receiving constructive feedback effectively and working as a team to apply it.

Time: 13 minutes

Materials:

• Small cones or markers to set up a simple relay course (optional, can use lines on the floor)
• Scenario cards (see examples below)

Setup:

1. Divide the class into 3-4 small teams (4-6 students per team).
2. Set up a simple relay course for each team. This could be as basic as a start line, a cone 10-15 feet away, and a finish line.
3. Each team will have a stack of "scenario cards" face down at their start line.

How to Play:

1. **Student 1 (The