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June 2026 Volunteer Spotlight – Dr. Siena Morgan
Volunteers are at the heart of Culture in Sports, and each month we are proud to recognize someone whose work, leadership, and commitment help move our mission forward. This month, we are excited to spotlight Dr. Siena Morgan, our Writing Director. Siena brings a powerful blend of experience, curiosity, and purpose to Culture in Sports.…
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Concentration And Attention in Sports
Coaches and athletes often interchange the words concentration and attention and the often-heard term fouls. To most effectively utilize these tools, it may be helpful to define each term; Vernacchia (2003) defined concentration simply as “the ability to perform with a clear and present focus” (p.144). What, then, is focus? Focus is often described as…
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Where Art and Competition Meet
Sports is a creative activity where individuals work together towards certain objectives. On one hand, the goal of sports is to improve the health of people and the formation of individuals’ personalities. On the other hand, sports can be appreciated as a form of entertainment. Viewing sports events is appreciating the efforts of the athletes…
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Cherishing The 4 Years Of Student-Athletes
As a current (time of writing this article) high school athlete, the high school sports experiences is has lots to offer to any athlete. Teens at the end of their 4 years will take away with them invaluable life lessons, lifelong friendships, and the will to compete. It holds a special place in the hearts…
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Identifying How to Work with Others on My Perceived Weaknesses: A Collaborative Approach to Coaching and Leadership
As coaches and leaders, we often tend to focus on our strengths, believing that our success is contingentupon leveraging what we do best. While our strengths are undeniably critical, it is equally important toacknowledge our perceived weaknesses and work collaboratively with others to mitigate their impact. “Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop…
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The Importance of Positive Psychology in Sports
Sports is widely agreed upon as being an essential component of a student’s exercise program. However, many students display fear and avoid any physical activity in particular sports. From this point, coaches may draw upon positive psychology to indicate positive principles and instructions, helping players understand what is good and beneficial, and root for having…
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How Do We Communicate with Each Other and Together in a Team?
Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful team interactions and a prerequisite for highperformance. Building a productive communication network within a team requires understanding,trust, and the conscious application of communication best practices. Two-Way Street Communication is a two-way process and it not only involves how you send messages, but also how youlisten and respond (Dwyer,…
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From Me to We: Promoting Team Cohesion Among Youth Athletes
Have you coached a high school sports program for many years? Have you volunteered to coach a youth sports team in a recreational league? Either way, team cohesion dramatically impacts the success of your program and you as a coach. What is team Cohesion? Imagine a sports team as a living, breathing organism. Team cohesion…
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Mending Crushed Spirits – How to Approach a Bad Performance
Many athletes have experienced what it’s like to leave the court or field and prepare themselves mentally only to have coaches criticize them for a subpar performance. Players just need some time to think things through since they’ve heard enough. On the flip side, coaches feel compelled to speak frankly and point out shortcomings in…
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Encouraging Athletes to Take Ownership: A Coach’s Influence
Coaches play a critical role in fostering a sense of ownership in athletes. This journey extends beyondsimply being responsible for individual performance. Instead, it encapsulates contributing to collectivesuccess and fostering a healthy team culture (Lemyre, Trudel, & Durand-Bush, 2007). Encouragingathletes to take ownership is a complex, yet rewarding endeavor that coaches worldwide shouldconsider. It is…
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Understanding Communication Style in a Team Context: A Key to Effective Leadership
Effective communication lies at the heart of every successful team. Clear and effective communication iscentral to team cohesion and overall performance. As a coach, understanding how your communicationstyle impacts the team, athletes, staff, and fellow coaches can be a game-changer for your leadershipapproach. Your Unique Communication Style Everyone possesses a unique communication style, shaped by…
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How to Cut a Player: A Guide for Coaches
A coach I know called me last week saying she didn’t know who else to talk to about a problem. What she brought up is one too few athletic administrators give coaches much advice about how to cut a player. Cutting a player is among the most difficult things a coach must do. It is…
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Identifying Your Preferred Leadership Style and its Impact on the Team
Understanding one’s leadership style is a crucial aspect of effective management and teamdevelopment. Leadership styles directly influence team performance, athlete satisfaction, and theoverall success of an organization. This article examines the process of identifying one’s preferredleadership style and its potential impact on team dynamics. Different leadership styles carry different characteristics, each influencing teams and organizations…
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Emotional Intelligence and Self-Awareness: The Building Blocks of Team Success
The success of any team, whether it’s in a sports, business, or any other context, hinges on effectiveleadership. A crucial part of this leadership equation is the leader’s emotional intelligence (EI) and self-awareness, two aspects that have gained considerable recognition in recent years for their influence onteam performance and satisfaction. Emotional intelligence, is the ability…
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Kim Mulkey: What She Might Have Said Better – A Case Study
By Robert Boland & Jeff Chatterton As a sports lawyer (Bob) and a crisis communications advisor (Jeff) who have worked together before, and will again, LSU Women’s Basketball Coach Kim Mulkey and her pre-emptive attack on The Washington Post and noted sports journalist Kent Babb, who was authoring a forthcoming story on Mulkey as her…
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Aligning Personal and Coaching Goals: The Journey to Team Success
Many coaches grapple with differentiating their personal aspirations from their coaching goals, and howthese two facets can be harmoniously intertwined. While personal goals tend to revolve around thecoach’s individual development, coaching goals are generally linked to the team’s progress andachievements. Personal goals can vary widely amongst coaches—ranging from expanding their professional knowledge,advancing their coaching techniques,…
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How Do My Goals Align with the Organization’s Goals?
In the rapidly evolving work and coaching environments, finding alignment between individual and organizational goals is of paramount importance. Aligning coaches’ personal aspirations with strategic organizational goals significantly and positively impacts the team and organization’s performance and competitiveness. It is critical to understand the differentiation between personal and organizational goals. Personal goals are those set…
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Fitting Individual Values within the Organizational Canvas: A Harmonious Alignment
In an era where organizations continually strive for creating a value-centric culture, the alignment between individual and organizational values has come to the fore (Shuck & Rose, 2013). This alignment is not just a cornerstone for an individual’s job satisfaction and engagement, but it also fosters organizational success. Coaches who fit their organization’s positive culture…
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Identifying How My Strengths Support the Team
As a sports coach or leader, understanding your strengths and leveraging them to support the team is crucial. Coaches need to understand why it’s essential to identify your strengths and how they can significantly impact your team’s overall performance. Research suggests that leaders who know their strengths can perform more effectively. Leaders who invest in…
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Aligning Personal and Coaching Goals: The Journey to Team Success
Many coaches grapple with differentiating their personal aspirations from their coaching goals, and how these two facets can be harmoniously intertwined. While personal goals tend to revolve around the coach’s individual development, coaching goals are generally linked to the team’s progress and achievements. Personal goals can vary widely amongst coaches—ranging from expanding their professional knowledge,…
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Facilitating Goal Achievement: The Role of the Coach in Sports Organizations
As coaches, we strive to lead our teams to success, but what role do we play in helping our sports organization reach its broader goals? This article discusses the multifaceted role of the coach in facilitating goal achievement within a sports organization. Coaches serve a critical function as the conduit between an organization’s goals and…
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What Is the Best Version of Myself? A Self-Exploration in Sports Coaching
Lao Tzu, an ancient philosopher once said: “Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power”. In coaching, the journey towards self-improvement and personal mastery is not just beneficial, it is crucial. This journey starts with a critical question: What is the best version of myself?…
