The Art of Coaching Young Athletes

The perfect antidote to the win-at-any-cost mentality of youth sports. A brilliant treatise for coaches on teaching teamwork, leadership, motivation and personal growth to kids, from kindergarten through high school.

DR. SUSAN KUCZMARSKI, Leadership Expert;
Author, The Sacred Flight of the Teenager:
A Parent’s Guide to Stepping Back and Letting Go
and Apples Are Square: Thinking Differently About Leadership

I have personally witnessed my children apply these fundamental “Peterson Skills” to their personal, athletic and professional careers with great success. Rick’ genuine gift as a coach, captured in these pages, will empower all who read this book to become a better coach, parent, or employer. It reaches all those levels.

KATE SHAPIRO MS BA, Director/Owner Kid-Motion, Inc.

If you want to become a good coach for your youth program … or want to improve your coaching skills, this book should become part of your library.

MARK G. GERVAIS, Wrestling coach (head coach 1983–2008),
Marist High School, Chicago;
Director of Greco-Roman Wrestling, Team Illinois

Coach Rick is unequalled at inspiring excellence in athletes and their teams… The life skills he teaches will lead young people to success on the playing field and in life.

LORI BEDELL, Mother of three girls who were coached by Rick Peterson

. . . simply a gem! … a must for every age group coach who wants to further under- stand the practicalities and psychology of coaching our nation’s youth.

TERI CONKLIN, Assistant Coach, New Trier Swim Club
and parent of two young athletes

The remarkable result of Rick’s positive coaching style is that it works… His philosophy and methodology of coaching should be must reading for anyone considering becoming a teacher or a coach.

LESLIE FARMER, Parent of two sons coached by Rick Peterson

… our three children learned the elements of athletic skill and competition, but more essentially they learned the principles of good sportsmanship and how to cooperate and contribute as members of a team. These are lessons for life.

MARY HENRY and RICK MULLIN, Parents of three children
who worked with Rick Peterson for many years.