As the 2025 season kicks off, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude and best wishes to all coaches and athletes in the Lamoille Valley. Your dedication, leadership, and commitment to fostering positive experiences in youth sports are invaluable.
Coaches play a pivotal role in shaping the mental and emotional well-being of their athletes. It’s essential to create environments that promote open communication, trust, and support, and to recognize the challenges faced by both coaches and players. By prioritizing mental health, we can ensure that sports remain a source of joy, growth, and resilience for all involved.
To assist coaches in integrating protective factors and health awareness into their routines, Healthy Lamoille Valley has created the “Huddle Up” program. This program offers weekly topics designed to foster meaningful connections and discussions within teams. Each week focuses on a different aspect of well-being, including team bonding, healthy lifestyle choices, community engagement, and identification of risk and protective factors.
For more information, check out the Healthy Lamoille Valley Coaches Handbook and the Healthy Lamoille Valley Huddle Up Program Handout.
We encourage coaches to share their experiences and insights from implementing the “Huddle Up” topics. Your feedback is invaluable in refining and enhancing this program. Consider sharing your stories and suggestions through our the Coaches Collaborative Facebook Page or directly with the Healthy Lamoille Valley by contacting Policy & Outreach Coordinator Alison Link at alison@healthylamoillevalley.org.
Looking for more? The Healthy Lamoille Valley Coaches Handbook includes a Standard Pregame Sportsmanship & Inclusion Statement to set a positive tone for every game, tournament, or youth sports event. It’s a simple way to reinforce respect, fairness, and inclusion for all players, families, and spectators.