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.Several years ago, a three-year- aid was bumpoed tram the skills program ta hoýuse beague. He played the last six, gamos af the year against Nie- and slx-year-ols. In the last game, wlth bss than a minute beft, ho skated ta the net and whacked a robound ln, markng his first goal ever. Without celebration, ho skated back ta centre for the faceofi. After the gamoe the officiai braught hlm the puck. Th. boy was asked why ho didn't seemn really exclted. His answer. "I just did what the coach told me.m The coach aughed becuse lte bay was rtght ... h was the flrst lime ho had asked his youngest player to score. Haw often do athltes achieve what is expected of thomn rather than what they are capable of achieving. ln most sparts, many goslonsandraIes are estabished efore the season begîns and there are few changes. Even within raIes, hlgher-ranked players are toid of the thînga they do well, whileofoten, weaioer plaqers are told haw many mistakes lhey make. The stranger player becomes mare confident, the ather doubts hbmsef/herseif mare and mare. Eventually thase weaker players take fewer chances and actualby stant ta doubt their abilities. They play to minimize the negative effect they have on the teamn rather than for positive Impact. CI.ies ta this problemn are subtle. For Instance, an a play ln which a defenceman stops a farward dniving ta the net, positive relnforcement Is given ta the favaured player - ("that was a great Play") -.whlbe the comment ta the less-favoured player wiI reflect the negative ("ho dIdn't beat >y>u that Imel, the Inference being that he was lIkely ta have beaten hlm. Ne faund that the mast severe age for the confidence gap' Is araund bantam. You are e aing wbIth adolescents who question themnselves in many things. They have begun hig h schaol and have many mare otons (sparts, music, clubs, dating) and their- school wark is mare demandIn g Unfortunately, the negative reinfarcement model resuits ln athletos changing sparts or quitting competitive sparts alttgether. Sa even if your current coach doesn't se. you as a game-wvinner, if yau dont often play in crucial situations," R Is Important that yau don't buy hîs view as a permanent one. Inside you have ta hear the pasitive and knaw that you MIl be up to the job when you're asked ta go ta the net. There is an appropriae statement that 1 read on a card astweek - "Whether you think you can, or think you cant, yau're right.u Note for coaches: Teach what you want. Relnforce R posltiely when players execute your Instructions ln bath pràctice and game situations. If yau want te see improvement, give praise three Urmes for each Uime you, make a negative comment. Not for parents: When was the iae Uime you gave positive feedback to the coaching staff. Whltby Free Pross, Wodnosdiay, NoVembor 29,1995. Page 19 Hieniry eat-enýi fil The confidence gap Co CHINC FUR KIDS by Joe Millage noted that Lisa Mahar gave some ifine performances off the bench. Cauline Penny scored 27 points for Anderson in thIon s.te Pine Ridge ini the other senu-final. High sehool sports SENIORIMY' HOCKEY Autn 1 Ounbarton Vils Keogan Tom Spence Austin 0 Dents 0'Connor .7 Henry Street 111gb School lost 59-36 te Pine Ridge Secondary Sehool of Pickering in the LOSSA senior girls' basketball championship last week A bad case of the jitters was the main reason for Henry's loss, says teain coach Paul Slean, notlng bis players were "really nervous" and it showed in the. large nuxnbor of turnovers and missed shots. Henryhad defeated Paul Dwyer 48-47 in* a thrilling semi-final gaine ta, set up the encounter with Pine Ridge who got by Anderson CVI 60 -54 in the other semi-final. Anderson had been ranked as the tep tearn in Durham and on. of the tep 10 teains in Ontario, but Slean says the four LOSSA semi-finalista were generally equal in talent. SI.an said Hlenry was nover considered as much of a contender for the, LOSSA crown since the. tearn, despite its 7-1 record in beague play and a tournament Seleets B champs The Whitby major peewee select hockey teain edged Manvers 2-1 te, win the. B division title of a tournament in Manvers reoently. Mike Kobrynovich and David Bosco scored. Wihttby lest their firat game 5-4 to Orono, Kobrynovich getting two goals, Scott Cook and Gary itamnura the. others. Kobrynovich scored tbr.e goals, Cook and Bosco two each, Kevin Taylor the. other in an 8-1 over Oillia. Whitby is, sponsored by Blades Custom Skate Car. Some inutrtional info for players To the. editor.: Re: George Branson's request for nutritional information regarding miner atoin novice aged hockey players (r., Press, Nov. 8). On. of the moat important steps te, take (if flot already doing so) ls tu eat only whole grain broadu and cereals instead of refined (e.g. whole wheat bread instead of white, oatmeal for breakfat instead of sugary cereals, brown rtc. instead of white). Altiiough a chocolat. bar and pop may give yeu immediate energy before a big gaine, it ta also thie reason why you ran out of gas on the bench part way tbrough the game. This is because you bad a quick increase of sugar in yowr bboodatreain, fobbowed by a quick drop from overstimulated glands. When this drop bits, fatigue,sets ini and energy is very low. This can be prevented by eating a starciiy fruit sucli as a banana or a protein snack such as roasted nuts tnstea.d of the sugary snack. Ini this way, your bbood sugar levels wtll b. even and provide you with confinueus energy tbroughout tiie game. Sugary items sucli as pop actually rob mineraIs from stores in your body or from otiier food sources. 'Power bars' are better tiian regular chocolat, bars, at least they provide your body with some food valu,. Try te, stick te a complex carbohydrate (starciiy food) meal before a big gaine or workout, and preferabby unrefined. An exampbe of thiswould be pasta witii tomate, and vegetable sauce witii a wiiole wheat bun and salad. Drink plenty of water tbmoughout the day - you les. a lot of water wiien you sweat and breatho heavily. Botter snack choices would b. ch...., raw fruit, raisins and dry roasted (unsabted) nuts ratiier than chips or choclat, bars. A peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole wiieat bread ta an excellent meal before a gaine because it is loaded with mineraIs. Do net consume drinks witii raw eggs te, boost your proteiný intake. Still confusied on what te est? Ail you bave te, remember ta te switcii te whobe wheat breads, lumit yolff intake of sugary fooda sucii as desserts, pop, candied and chocolat. bars, and increase your fruits and vogelabbes, and you may find yourself laughing ail the, way tu this yeaYs cbampionship. Louis. Crouch R.glitered nutrittonal Whitby, CO* STEEL 4 *LASCO Whitby liroquois Sooeer Club requires ~C~ç ~REP TEAMR COACHES Ccn FOR THE 1996 OUTDOOR SOCCER SEASON Applications are invited for coaching pitions for the 1996 rep program. Goachs arer M.... .r.. .... COMPLETION 0F LEVEL 1 COACHING CERTIFICATION REQUIRED. For further information and application forms please contact "Club Head Coach" Stan Bombino at 668-2009. 1 DTS S20.00 championship in Barrie, "neyer really played a good game this yeair."f Slean says bis team managed to win but "we really didn't impress anybody, we neyer did ligiit the. place up" in any contest. Sloan measured hits team's performance against last season when, as a junior team, with many of th. same players, Henry won the. champtonship. Erin Carroll led the. sc oring for Henry in tuis year's LOSSA final. In the. semi-final win over Dwyer, Leanne Bullougli and Amanda KnegJe eacii iad 12 points. Misty Kuciierik and Anine Hondorson are the. otiier starting playors for Henry, while Slean