Agoura High's Coaching Workshops to Put New Ideas Into Play

, in conjunction with the Stanford University-based Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), is planning a series of workshops that aim to advance concepts in athletic coaching.

PCA has developed a new cutting-edge workshop geared toward molding student athletes into exemplary athletes and leaders, according to Jim Thompson, PCA executive director. The program, called, "Developing Triple-Impact Competitors,” helps coaches to train student athletes to pursue excellence on three levels: by improving themselves, their teammates and their sport as a whole, he said.

“Working with scores of high schools throughout the United States, PCA has advanced a powerful model of the ideal student athlete,” said Matt Baldwin, assistant principal of athletics at Agoura High School. “We and PCA share the goal of using high school sports to develop not only great athletes but also quality leaders and citizens. We will train our coaches to cultivate these values in our student athletes.”

In addition to advancing the athletic program at Agoura High School, Baldwin said his goal is to foster growth among individual players in the process.

“We are delighted that Agoura High School is committed to producing 'Triple-Impact Competitors,'” said Thompson. “Together, we’ll help Agoura’s coaches get the very best out of their student athletes, both in athletic competition and in life.”

There will be a total of three workshops this summer; one each for coaches, teachers, and student-athletes (current juniors), said Baldwin.  In September, the high school will be hosting a parent/community workshop to illustrate to the community the importance of the Positive Coaching Alliance and the culture shift that is under way at the school, he said.

“The program will be funded through the Agoura Student Body (ASB),” said Baldwin.

Founded as a nonprofit within the Stanford University Athletic Department in 1998, PCA’s mission is about “transforming youth sports so sports can transform youth,” according to the program's website.

PCA has conducted nearly 9,000 live group workshops nationwide for more than 475,000 youth and high school sports leaders, coaches and parents, according to Thompson.  As a result, coaches who attended have helped to create a positive, character-building youth sports environment for roughly 3.5 million youth athletes, he said.

The workshops are scheduled to begin May 25, 2011. For information about the dates and locations, contact Baldwin at 818-889-1262, ext. 237.