About Yampa Valley

The United States Pony Clubs, Inc., develops character, leadership, confidence and a sense of community in youth through a program that teaches the care of horses and ponies, riding and mounted sports.

Coaching Methods

Yampa Valley Pony Club is committed to the principles of a Positive Coaching Alliance.  We strive to teach life lessons through riding and eventing by using three principles:

• The ELM Tree of Mastery
• Filling Emotional Tanks
• Honoring the Game

The ELM Tree of Mastery

While winning is important and learning to compete is one of the major life lessons available through riding, not everyone can win.  Still, youth athletes are winners, regardless of what the judge says, when they pursue a mastery of their sports.  As a way to remember key elements of mastery, we use the acronym ELM for Effort, Learning and Mistakes are OK.  Youth athletes who keep these things in mind develop habits that will serve them well throughout their lives.  As an added benefit, athletes who are coached toward Mastery tend to have reduced anxiety and increased self-confidence because they tend to focus on things they can control.  Therefore, they are more likely to have fun and perform better.  Here’s how you can help:

Tell your child it’s okay to make a mistake

Tell them you appreciate their best efforts, even if they fall short of the desired result.

Recognize that mastery is hard work and an ongoing process over time that can fuel great conversations with your child about sports and life.

Filling Emotional Tanks

An emotional tank is like the gas tank in a car.  When it’s empty, we go nowhere, but when it’s full, we can go most anywhere.  The best fuel for an emotional tank is an average of 5 specific, truthful praises for each specific, constructive criticism.  Here’s how you can help:

Encourage your children with specific tank-fillers regardless of the results.  Be honest, but remember the value of that 5:1 ratio.

Avoid immediate and critical debrief right after a lesson or show.

Honoring the Game

To help remember the ideals of sportsmanship, which we call “Honoring the Game”, we talk about respecting ROOTS, an acronym for Rules, Officials, Opponents, Teammates and Self.  Here’s how you can help:

Review ROOTS with your children (for review please visit www.positivecoaching.org)

Model Honoring the Game yourself as you watch your children ride and compete and even as you watch other sports together.

Encourage other spectators to Honor the Game.

Visit the Pony Club website to learn more about the Pony Club educational program, national events, activities and opportunities for members.