Friendship & Support Network
“Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It’s not something you learn in school. But if you haven’t learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven’t learned anything.” – Muhammad Ali
Friendship & Support Network
“Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It’s not something you learn in school. But if you haven’t learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven’t learned anything.” – Muhammad Ali
Improves Mental Health
Friendships not only provide a sense of belonging, but with a supportive friends can help us change the way we respond to stress, keeps up grounded, and help view situations from a different perspective.
Decreases Social Isolation
Research shows adolescents may not feel understood or comfortable discussing their feelings with parents. Having a friend they can trust reduces the instinct to socially isolate.
Provides a Safe Space
Knowing you can share your feelings without the fear of being judged or labled means you feel safe to open up and ask for support which can literally speaking be a life saver.
Supportive Friendships
As kids transition from childhood to adolescence, they experience significant changes in their self-perception and how they believe others perceive them. While youth are more likely to seek peer support, they may still feel reluctant to open up due to fear of being judged. The mindset of “I don’t need to wear a helmet because that will never happen to me” is similar to “I am the only one struggling emotionally or socially.”
If you think about when kids are toddlers, parents are there to step in and teach them about the importance of sharing and not hitting (or biting) other children. However, as kids get older, the opportunity to intervene is almost nonexistent. Yet, the interaction between teens and their friends/peers comes with many, if not more, teachable moments essential for their future.
Friendship is a teachable skill
As kids transition from childhood to adolescence, they experience significant changes in their self-perception and how they believe others perceive them. While youth are more likely to seek peer support, they may still feel reluctant to open up due to fear of being judged. The mindset of “I don’t need to wear a helmet because that will never happen to me” is similar to “I am the only one struggling emotionally or socially.”
If you think about when kids are toddlers, parents are there to step in and teach them about the importance of sharing and not hitting (or biting) other children. However, as kids get older, the opportunity to intervene is almost nonexistent. Yet, the interaction between teens and their friends/peers comes with many, if not more, teachable moments essential for their future.
Y2S Buddy System
Having accountability partners in our program allows us to create teachable moments for players to learn and practice being supportive teammates and friends on and off the field.
How It Works
Pairing Into Buddies
During the first practice, coaches will pair players up to work together during weekly practices.
Working Together
Weekly practices provide opportunities for buddies to collaborate and practice offering encouragement and support.
Accountability
Buddies are responsible for holding each other accountable outside of practice time (depending on age) to help each other stay on track with their goals
Support and Encouragement
During practice, buddies learn the importance of communication. Whether it’s how to communicate if they need support or how to support a friend in need. As accountability partners (depending on age), using various forms of communication, such as weekly phone calls, daily text messages, or meetups outside of practice are encouraged
Benefits
Team Building
The buddy system allows us to teach players how to work together as a team by practicing motivating and encouraging each other.
Support System
Buddies provide each other with support, guidance, and motivation throughout the season
Personal Growth
Through a buddy system, players learn valuable skills such as communication, collaboration, and empathy.
Lifelong Friendships
Our goal is for our participants to form lasting friendships with their buddies beyond our league. To do this, we prioritize keeping buddies together each season when they are both enrolled in our program.