Chapter 1 Our Vision for Youth Sports and Youth Coaches

Coaching and teaching have been my life-work. In my Coaching, I have been able to play games with groups of kids; mine have been from age 6 to 16. In my Teaching, I have spent time with 10 year old children fourth graders through adult college doctoral students. With all of these people we have learned together, communicated feelings with each other, and cared about each other. And they actually paid me to come to work every day.

In Chapter One of our book,  Grass Roots Coaching; Using Sports Psychology and Coaching Principles Effectively, we have tried to share some of the major beliefs we operated under during our careers, e.g., Pride, Discipline, Self Reliance, and Courage. 

In our Clipboard Notes, we have listed some of the thoughts that linger with us, that we share with our players.  Just read them and perhaps contemplate for a moment.

Clipboard Notes - Chapter One

Coaching: Becoming a coach is a gift to myself. Being a coach is a gift to others.

Team Work: A team is much more than a group of individuals – it has to do with relationships.

The Pursuit of Excellence: Some of our best attempts are experienced while the scoreboard shows that we are not winning the game.

Growth: My players become less and less dependent on me as they grow and learn. Taking charge of their own growth leads to the fulfillment of their own goals.

In any type of athletic contest, a true champion wants their opponent to play their very best; then they know they are truly Champions.   — Cindy Bristow

Cindy Bristow

For many years as a player, coach, and administrator, Cindy Bristow has been the outstanding leader of women’s softball. She coached college softball at Arizona State, New Mexico State and Wichita State; and at the Women's Professional Softball League's Florida Wahoos. 

For seven years, Cindy was the Director of Junior Olympic Softball for the Amateur Softball Association, where she oversaw all youth softball in the United States. While in this position, she was co-creator of the ASA's VIP Coaches Education Program. She was located at the USA Softball Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City. At the same time, I was writing articles and training programs at ASA with Ralph Weekly; coach with his wife, Karen, on leave from the University of Tennessee Volunteers.

Cindy has 30-plus years of experience as a coach and manager at the collegiate and professional level, leading several different Olympic National teams and being involved in every aspect of the sport. Her lifelong commitment and success was rewarded with an NFCA Hall of Fame induction in 2001.

Cindy became the Director of National Teams and Coaching Development for USA Softball and she helped guide the selection of the United States' first-ever Olympic Softball team that won a gold medal in the 1996 Olympic Games. There is much more that Cindy has accomplished - just Google Cindy Bristow and enjoy.