Today's Play: Coach Tommy Valentini offers practical strategies for parents to navigate the emotional highs and lows of youth sports. He emphasizes shifting the focus from wins and losses to effort, growth, and core values, fostering healthier conversations with young athletes. Tommy and amy also highlight the importance of collaboration between parents and coaches, with coaches playing a key role in setting clear expectations and engaging parents in supporting the team’s culture. The ultimate goal? Creating a positive, character-building experience that extends far beyond the game.

Today's Coach: Dr. Tommy Valentini is in his 16th year as head coach of the Gustavus Adolphus College men's tennis team where he holds an overall record of 273-104. The Gusties are the third winningest program in the history of Division III tennis with an all-time mark of 1303-532-3 (.710 winning percentage). Gustavus has claimed two NCAA Team Championships (1980, 1982), while also winning six national titles in doubles and four national titles in singles. Tommy has also coached at Emory University and University of Nebraska, written a book chapter titled: Love-Love: A Fresh Start at Finding Value and Virtue in Tennis and presented a Ted Talk on Purposeful Character Building Through Sport. He's also a youth hockey coach and runs a coach education/team culture building education program for the Minnesota River Bulldogs. Last, but not least, Tommy is a professor in the philosophy department at Gustavus Adolphus College where he teaches sport ethics and philosophy.

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Picking Teams: A Playbook for Parents is produced by: Amy Bryant and Sasha Melamud

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