By Jake Wilson
Somerville Youth Soccer League

Everyone wants to win. That’s the first goal in sports. But in youth and high school sports there is a second, more important goal: teaching life lessons through sports.

THE SECOND-GOAL PARENT®: Developing Winners in Life Through Sports teaches sports parents why and how to focus on that second goal. This workshop conveys the essence of the philosophy and several tips and tools parents can use to help their children get the most from youth and high school sports. The workshop guides parents in:

• Assessing their children’s goals and desires in youth sports in comparison with their own
• How to talk with your child about practices, games and what they are learning through sports
• How to enact and reinforce the following principles: Mastery of Sport (Not Just Scoreboard Results), which values effort, learning and bouncing back from mistakes and adversity; Filling Emotional Tanks, with the correct mix of truthful, specific praise and constructive criticism; and Honoring the Game through appropriate sideline behavior and interaction with coaches.

Somerville Youth Soccer League (somervillesoccer.org) has partnered with the Positive Coaching Alliance (positivecoach.org) to present this event. It will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, February 16, in the auditorium of Somerville High School and all parents of Somerville youth athletes are invited.

There is no cost to attend, but seating is available on a first come, first served basis. The first 100 families will receive a copy of Positive Sports Parenting, a book written by PCA’s Founder and CEO, Jim Thompson.

About Somerville Youth Soccer League: Founded in 1990, Somerville Youth Soccer League is a recreational and developmental soccer league for youth ages 2 to 18 in Somerville. SYSL is a volunteer-run, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with an elected board of directors.

About the Positive Coaching Alliance: Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) develops “Better Athletes, Better People” through resources for youth and high school sports coaches, parents, administrators and student-athletes. In addition to 1,500+ free audio-video and printable tips and tools at www.PCADevZone.org, PCA has partnered with roughly 3,500 schools and youth sports organizations nationwide to deliver live group workshops, online courses and books by PCA Founder Jim Thompson that help those involved in youth and high school sports create a positive, character-building youth sports culture.