A Full Coaching Toolbox Leads to a Confident Coach
Every seasoned coach has two things: a playbook and a coaching toolbox. At the WCA Leadership Academy we give coaches playbooks with sports tactics and strategies. But for first-time coaches, the sport is the easy part. Most have played the sport they signed up to coach extensively, so they already know the plays. With this […]
The Coach’s Guide to Memorable Practices
As coaches, our goal is to give players memorable and meaningful experiences throughout the season. Since most teams practice more often than they play, practices make up the majority of their experience. When I train new coaches, we focus on creating effective practice plans that are organized, engaging, well-paced, and fun. Practice Organization – Every […]
Playing with Pride: How to Support LGBTQIA+ Youth Athletes
This Pride Month, I’ve been reflecting on how we can create safer, more inclusive spaces in sports for queer and gender-expansive youth athletes. Sports are for everyone, and every child who wants to play should have the opportunity to do so. Recent efforts across the country to restrict who gets to participate have been both […]
Using Scaling Questions to Build Emotional Safety in Sports
When I work with students, especially teenagers, I like to use scaling questions to check in with them. A scaling question is a quick and structured way to ask someone how they are doing. There are many easy scales to use. I typically use a 1–5 scale with high school students—1 being low and 5 […]
Because He Believed in Me
When I was young, my dad used to say to me, “Claire, you can be anything you want to be when you grow up. Maybe that career doesn’t even exist yet. You can create it.” And I believed him. Why wouldn’t I? As a kid, his support showed up in everyday ways, getting donuts for […]
Let’s Go Valkyries! Inside the Inaugural Home Game
From the moment the WNBA announced its expansion to the Bay Area, I was all in. Adding a women’s team to Northern California just made sense. It’s a major market, and as a NorCal native, I’d been waiting for a team to rally behind. When they revealed the name Golden State Valkyries and launched the […]
Building Confidence, One Pose at a Time
I recently led a team bonding practice for the eight-and-under Mystic-Sirens to celebrate their spring league championship. They were a young team who had worked hard to improve throughout the season, so I was excited to have some fun with them on the softball field. Their coaches shared that the big win had given the […]
Kid’s Day at Oracle Park: My Interview With Amy G
Last weekend the San Francisco Giants celebrated kids day at the ballpark. Before the game they organized a panel discussion for youth baseball and softball players, and they invited me to sit on the panel as a softball representative. I was honored to be included! The panel was hosted by Amy G, a long time […]
The Sweetest Economy: Lessons from the Serviceberry
For our last unit of the school year at Coastside Leadership Academy, we had been learning about the economy and personal finances. Our students explored stock markets around the world, personal investment strategies, currencies, and tariffs. The unit felt especially relevant because every day there was something new in the news to talk about—but at […]
In Between Chapters: Guiding Questions for a Life in Transition
With just a few weeks left in the school year, I’m starting to hear the familiar question: “What’s next for you?” The truth is, I’m in a season of transition, and much of my energy has been focused on being fully present as I close Coastside Leadership Academy. While I don’t yet have a clear […]