Chicago

03.17.2023

10 Tips for First-Time Sports Parents

Rather than concern with scoreboard wins and losses, PCA hopes that you, as a sports parent, keep your eye on the Big Picture – the life lessons in teamwork, resilience, overcoming...
04.13.2022

PCA Partners with Big Ten Network for the BTN Big 10k Race!

Join us July 10th at Soldier Field in Chicago for the Big Ten Network Big 10k! PCA is proud to announce our charity partnership with Big Ten Network, where participants will have a...
03.23.2022

RECAP: Developing Team Leaders Webinar

On Friday, March 20th, PCA, in conjunction with Deloitte, hosted the “Developing Team Leaders Webinar”. Hosted by PCA’s Casey Miller and moderated by Dan Helfrich, CEO of Deloitte ...
02.23.2022

RECAP: The Intersectionality of Mental Health and Race Webinar

On Wednesday, Feburary 16th, Positive Coaching Alliance hosted a webinar entitled, Mental Health in Sports: The Intersectionality of Mental Health & Race, to discuss how mental hea...
02.09.2022

PCA Huddles Up with Tony La Russa on Leading Successful Teams

The Hall of Famer and 3 x World Series Winning Manager shared his experiences and principles on establishing relationships and culture.
01.10.2022

How To Help Youth Become Their Best: A 6-Step Framework

This is a solution that provides any stakeholder the framework to teach, coach, and develop youth and adolescent students, athletes, and club members with meaning and purpose.
10.20.2021

2021 Triple-Impact Competitor® Scholarship Winners Announced

This page includes updates of winners of PCA's 2021 Triple-Impact Competitor Scholarship, listed by PCA Region.
08.17.2021

50 Years in the Making: Jack Weinberg’s Support of PCA

Jack and Sheila Weinberg recently endowed the Head Men’s Soccer Coach position at their alma mater, the University of Denver. But Jack, a local PCA Board Member in Chicago, who has...
08.03.2021

2021 Triple-Impact Competitor® Scholarship Finalists

Following are updates of finalists for PCA's 2021 Triple-Impact Competitor Scholarship, listed by PCA Chapter or Area.
05.20.2021

Unwritten Rules: Managing Lopsided Games in MLB, High School, Youth Baseball

Chicago White Sox Manager Tony La Russa made headlines this week by calling out his own player for violating one of baseball’s “unwritten rules.”
04.13.2021

Cenex® Partners with PCA to Support Million Coaches Challenge

Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) is excited to partner with Minnesota-based Cenex®, the energy brand of CHS Inc., to extend the Million Coaches Challenge in rural communities.
03.18.2021

PCA Conversation with USMNT Coach Gregg Berhalter: Lessons in Leadership & Positive Coaching

Soccer fans and fans of good coaching were treated to a special Zoom conversation on March 4th with U.S. Men’s National Team Coach Gregg Berhalter.
03.09.2021

2021 National Double-Goal Coach® Award Winners Presented by TeamSnap

In a year like no other, we are especially proud to name the 25 National Winners of PCA’s Double-Goal Coach® Award presented by TeamSnap because the impact they’ve had on their stu...
01.11.2021

Winning On and Off the Field: Chicago Bears' Alumni Player Jason McKie Huddle's Up With Whitney Young HS and PCA

Chicago Bears’ Wide Receiver Anthony Miller and Alumni Player Jason McKie Huddle up with Chicago Area High Schools to discuss Winning On and Off the Field
12.01.2020

Curry Brand, Under Armour, and PCA Team Up To Invest In Coaches

We’re all in with Curry Brand and ready to #changethegameforgood starting by investing in coaches within Oakland Unified School District and Oakland Parks and Rec.
12.01.2020

Looking Back: 2020 Virtual Scholarship Winner Celebration

On Tuesday, November 19, PCA hosted a Virtual Celebration for the 123 winners of the 2020 Triple-Impact Competitor® Scholarship. This year alone, thanks to the generosity of Sagico...
11.25.2020

"Without my coach..." A message of thanks.

Whether you are a donor, coach, parent, grandparent, administrator, or athlete, we want to say a big thanks for your support of PCA and for being a part of our community!
11.24.2020

RECAP: Sports Can Battle Racism Webinar - Growing the Game

On November 20, 2020 PCA hosted another installment Sports Can Battle Racism Webinars. The topic of discussion was how we can begin to grow sports that traditionally have a low per...
11.13.2020

Announcing the 2020 Winners of PCA's College Scholarship

Positive Coaching Alliance is especially proud to announce the winners of the 2020 Triple-Impact Competitor® Scholarship in a year like no other we’ve had before.
10.29.2020

10 Things We've Learned about Youth and High-School Sports during the Pandemic

Now seven months into the pandemic, after a summer and fall of stops, starts, and modifications to the game, we’ve learned a few things about the pandemic’s wider impact on high-sc...
10.15.2020

Susan Crown Exchange Launches Million Coaches Challenge to Train One Million Coaches in Youth Development by 2025

Youth-focused foundation Susan Crown Exchange (SCE) announced today its Million Coaches Challenge. This effort will train at least one million coaches in youth development by 2025....
10.06.2020

PCA and Coaching Corps Partner Up to Reach Coaches in Underserved Communities

Positive Coaching Alliance, whose mission is to be a catalyst for a positive youth sports culture in all communities across the U.S., and Coaching Corps, an organization that train...
09.29.2020

The Rise of Philosopher-Athletes

There’s a new cohort of philosophers appearing on the scene these days, though in disguise, or, more like hidden in plain sight in a medium many consider not just impervious to dee...
09.28.2020

RECAP: College Culture and Respect - Sports Can Battle Racism Roundtable Series

On Thursday, September 24, PCA hosted our third Sports Can Battle Racism Webinar. The topic of conversation was on college culture and respect. The panelists included Dr. Akilah Ca...
09.21.2020

PCA Principles Cross International Borders with Partner Hong Kong Amateur Hockey Club Limited

Hong Kong Amateur Hockey Club Limited has been online partners with PCA since 2017 and have truly embraced the culture-shaping resources PCA provides.
09.16.2020

PCA recognized by President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition as NYSS Champion to Promote Participation in Youth Sports

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is pleased to recognize PCA as one of the first organizations to join the National Youth Sports Strategy (NYSS) Champion prog...
09.10.2020

Chicago Public Schools Teams Up with PCA to Provide SEL Training to High School Athletics

CPS is teaming up with the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), a national nonprofit youth sports training organization, to bring their mission of “creating a positive, character-buil...
09.10.2020

PCA Announces National Partnership with eSports Leader XP League

Combining the fun and excitement of gaming with positive coaching, social skill building, and core values-based programs, fill a tremendous need in our communities and our kids’ li...
09.08.2020

11 Tips for First-Time Coaches

Many first-time coaches find this role harder than they expected, so here are concrete tips to ease matters and help your youth athletes.
09.08.2020

7 Tips for a Positive Parent-Coach Relationship

We've put together some guidelines for how sports parents can contribute to a Coach-Parent Partnership that benefits youth athletes.
08.24.2020

COVID-19 Return to Youth Sport Guidelines

Recommendations based on a collaborative effort by experts in childhood sports medicine from representative regions around the United States. Keep in mind that some recommendations...
08.11.2020

2020 Triple-Impact Competitor® Scholarship Finalists

Following are updates of finalists for PCA's 2020 Triple-Impact Competitor® Scholarship Program, listed by PCA Chapter or Area.
08.10.2020

10 Tips For Emotionally Supporting Athletes, Right Now

Now more than ever, children and teenagers need responsible adults in their lives who can model good behavior and act as bulwarks against the chaos. Here are ten ways coaches can s...
07.31.2020

How P.E. Teachers Can Benefit From PCA Concepts And Training In Social Emotional Learning

PCA training is great for PE teachers because coaching and teaching are extremely similar, some might say they are the same, they just exist in slightly different environments.
07.29.2020

PCA-Chicago Huddles Up with Coach Pat Fitzgerald

On July 20th, PCA hosted an exclusive hour-long conversation on Zoom with Northwestern Head Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald. The virtual “Huddle” served as a benefit in support of Po...
07.29.2020

RECAP: Sports Can Battle Racism Webinar - Sports Can: Define, Unify, Empower

On Tuesday, July 28, PCA hosted our second Sports Can Battle Racism Webinar. The topic of discussion was how sports can define us, unify us, and empower us. The webinar is part of ...
07.21.2020

Voices from the Black Community at PCA

In our Commitment to Change, we promised to amplify voices from the Black community at PCA sharing how sports has impacted their lives.
07.20.2020

Sports Can Battle Racism: Action Steps

This is an ongoing process and we are committed to improving our community. View to see progress about PCA’s next steps on the commitment we made to battle anti-Black racism.
07.17.2020

RECAP: US Club Soccer on the Importance of Diversity & Inclusion in Youth Sport

Marti Reed, PCA’s National Partnership and Marketing Manager, joined US Club Soccer’s Facebook Live webinar on July 16th to discuss the importance of diversity and inclusion in you...
07.13.2020

Coaches: Six Reasons (And More!) To Discuss Anti-Racism With Your Team

Youth sports coaches assume a uniquely prized position: one based on trust, mentorship, and couched in leadership.  As we all work through the country’s recently heightened battle ...
07.07.2020

PCA Partners with Susan Crown Exchange to Train 400,000 Coaches in Youth Development

Partnership to Help 400,000 Youth Coaches Support the Social and Emotional Needs of Young Athletes
07.06.2020

Should We Really Be Discussing Sports Right Now?

Just as someone committed to a daily knitting club can still be deeply concerned about social justice, a sports fan can commit time and energy to their passion, while upholding the...
07.02.2020

PCA Announces DeVon Holmes of Boys & Girls Club as the 2020 National Coach of the Year

Positive Coaching Alliance is proud to announce our 2020 Double-Goal Coach® National Coach of the Year and winner of the $10,000 Taube Family Prize in Recognition of Excellence in ...
07.01.2020

Recap: PCA Roundtable "Sports Can Battle Racism"

On Monday, June 29, PCA hosted a Virtual Roundtable titled "Sports Can Battle Racism: How Coaches, Parents, and Administrators Can Play a Positive Role." The conversation was moder...
06.24.2020

12 Coaching Tips for the Post-Lockdown Return to Sports

In the coming weeks and months we will see some areas and organizations returning to play and others cancelling youth sports. In both situations, we need to be ready to support kid...
06.22.2020

5 Ways Young Athletes Can Improve their Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a sudden change in everyone’s lives, including students and student-athletes. Athletes suddenly found themselves at home without access to their...
06.11.2020

Sports Can Battle Racism

As a force in education through sports, we vow not to stop at condemnation, but to strive to be a force for reconciliation, through the collaborative actions with coaches throughou...
06.01.2020

Recruiting Is A Team Sport; Resources From FieldLevel

Educating individuals on the process to discover recruitable athletes and align on key information to ensure the best fit.
05.26.2020

Life Is A Team Sport

Life is a team sport, and now more than ever, we need to be good teammates to one another.
05.20.2020

Why Michael Jordan Couldn't Dance Alone

PCA breaks down 'The Last Dance' and outlines how key advocates like Phil Jackson, Steve Kerr, and Terry Francona influenced Jordan's career.
05.15.2020

When Youth Sports Return...Will You Be Ready?

As enduring as the COVID-19 pause has been to the lives of young athletes, one thing we know for sure is that sports will be coming back, it’s just a matter of when and how.
05.04.2020

Giving Tuesday Now

At PCA, we believe life is a team sport, so we have doubled down on our efforts to meet our coaches and leaders where they are — online.
04.23.2020

Honoring The Game — Life Is A Team Sport

Because life is a team sport, you as parents are finding yourself stepping into the role of coach and the team you have to manage is your family unit.
04.16.2020

FREE: Interactive Online Course For Officials

This highly interactive course is filled with powerful officiating tools, is based on the latest research from sports psychology, and reflects the "best practices" of elite officia...
04.16.2020

Supporting Each Other: Filling Emotional Tanks

If our tank is full we can drive anywhere our hearts’ desire and if it is empty we quickly find that we are unable to leave our driveway. As human beings we have our own version of...
04.13.2020

PCA Featured in Sports Illustrated: Nonprofit Offers Free Resources to Support Youth Sports During COVID-19 Shutdown

I hadn't heard of Positive Coaching Alliance prior to receiving an email from the nonprofit organization yesterday. I'm glad they reached out. While I don't have children, I was a ...
04.09.2020

How to Handle Mistakes

For athletes, developing a positive and constructive approach to making mistakes is one of the defining attributes that separate those that excel from those that do not.
04.07.2020

FREE: Interactive Online Course For Youth Athletes

This highly interactive course provides specific tips and techniques for mastery and continuous improvement in any sport, seizing opportunities to encourage and support teammates, ...
04.06.2020

Celebrating Positive Youth Development Through Youth Sports in Chicago

Over 230 people – our largest crowd ever – gathered at iconic Soldier Field on March 5 to honor Chicagoland coaches, student-athletes and community leaders at the 2020 PCA-Chicago...
04.03.2020

Coaching At Home

See a list of practical coaching exercises that parents can adapt to ensure positive experiences and positive outcomes for their children while at home.
03.31.2020

2019 Triple-Impact Competitor® Scholarship Winners

See updates of winners for PCA's 2019 Triple-Impact Competitor® Scholarship Program (Class of 2020), listed by PCA Chapter or Area.
03.25.2020

Movie Discussion Guide Compilation

In this time of confinement and reflection, we thought you might enjoy a complete list of our Movie Discussion Guides!
03.18.2020

Maintaining Connection Despite Coronavirus

As we accept the difficult responsibilities of adhering to isolation and other medically-necessary policies, we need to pay equal attention to committing acts of service to help ea...
02.24.2020

PCA's Impact at the 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago

Star power and elite-level basketball certainly drew a crowd, but it was the NBA's focus on the importance of service and impact through empowering youth at multiple events that we...
01.01.2020

Triple-Impact Competitor® Scholarship Applications Now Open!

The 2020 Triple-Impact Competitor Scholarship Opportunity is NOW OPEN! High School Juniors graduating in 2021 are eligible to apply.
12.18.2019

Introducing PCA-Chicago Partnership Manager Chris Ward

Chris joined PCA in January 2020 as the Partnership Manager in Chicago where he is responsible for prospecting, developing and closing partnership opportunities throughout the stat...
12.16.2019

PCA-Chicago Collaborates on Social-Emotional Learning with Communities in Schools of Chicago

With a generous gift by a private family foundation, Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) Chicago and Communities in Schools (CIS) of Chicago launched a partnership at the beginning of...
11.19.2019

Stanley Cup Champion Brent Sopel Still Fighting for His Team

If you’re one of the millions who, like Sopel, struggles with the processing disorder dyslexia, he has a message for you: “You are not alone.”
08.15.2019

Triple-Impact Competitor® Scholarship Finalists

Following are updates of finalists for PCA's 2019 Triple-Impact Competitor® Scholarship Program, listed by PCA Chapter or Area.
07.24.2019

Chicago Year in Review: 2019 Momentum Magazine

Each year, PCA’s annual Chicago edition of Momentum Magazine recaps the past year’s highlights from the PCA Movement both in Chicago and across the country.
07.08.2019

Fired Up for Positive Coaching: PCA-Chicago & Chicago Fire Celebrate Double-Goal Coach® Award Winners

Seven Chicagoland youth sports and high school coaches were recognized for making a positive impact on local youth by teaching life lessons through sports.
07.02.2019

PCA-Chicago Making Impact with the Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bears

Back in June, PCA-Chicago hosted a parent talk with Chicago Cubs RBI program and took part in the Chicago Bears Coaches Clinic.
06.04.2019

2018 Triple-Impact Competitor® Scholarship Winners

See updates of winners for PCA's 2018 Triple-Impact Competitor® Scholarship Program (Class of 2019), listed by PCA Chapter or Area.
03.13.2019

2019 National Double-Goal Coach® Award Winners Presented by TeamSnap

Congratulations to each of these National Winners who were selected from nearly 1,000 nominations nationwide!
03.12.2019

Intersport CEO Charlie Besser and Former NFL Player Isaiah Kacyvenski Headline PCA-Chicago Positive Impact Awards

PCA-Chicago also awarded $1,000 scholarships to six high school student-athletes at the Annual Positive Impact Awards.
02.06.2019

Being A Woman in Sports, From PCA Staff Member Maggie Hatcher

My involvement in sports has prepared me to face the daily struggles of being a woman in society - yes, we have made great strides towards equality, but we still have a long way to...
08.07.2018

Luncheon With Paul DeJong

On Thursday, July 19th, Positive Coaching Alliance – Chicago hosted St. Louis Cardinals’ shortstop and Illinois native Paul DeJong for a special Luncheon at the Chicago Sports Muse...
08.01.2018

Missing Ken Ravizza

Here are just a few of the memorable lessons I learned from Ken throughout our work together.
07.16.2018

Watching The Field Hockey World Cup

The Men's FIFA Soccer World Cup just finished, but another exciting World Cup event featuring the U.S. Women’s National Field Hockey team is about to begin.
11.27.2017

Honoring Tomorrow's Leaders At Scholarship Celebration

On November 7, PCA-Chicago hosted its 8th Annual Triple-Impact CompetitorⓇ Scholarship and Awards Celebration.
10.24.2017

2017 Triple-Impact Competitor® Scholarship Winners

See updates of winners for PCA's 2017 Triple-Impact Competitor® Scholarship Program, listed by PCA Chapter or Area.
09.27.2017

Have The Conversation

We encourage you to think about how the present situation can be used as a teachable moment. In your specific role, why and how might you talk to youth about what they're seeing?
06.20.2017

All-Star Panel Heads Breakfast with Champions

With Dave Revsine of the Big 10 Network serving as MC, each panelist offered unique perspectives on how youth sports and positive coaching affected their personal lives.
05.22.2017

The Chicago Fire

PCA-Chicago has partnered with the Chicago Fire Academy to provide workshops to its student-athletes and parents as part of their ongoing, off-field training initiative.
05.03.2017

The Power Of Coaching

I look back at my coaches and think about how grateful I am to them for all they did to help me achieve what I have achieved.
03.16.2017

Northwestern’s Chris Collins and the Power of Positive

Congratulations to PCA National Advisory Board Member Chris Collins on Northwestern University’s first-ever appearance and tournament win earlier today!
03.01.2017

2017 Double-Goal Coach® Award National Winners

Announcing the 2017 Double-Goal Coach award winners.
02.05.2017

PCA Super Bowl Spot From FOX Sports Supports

PCA received its greatest mass media exposure ever via a public service announcement during Super Bowl LI, thanks to our partnership with FOX Sports Supports.
02.02.2017

2017 Double-Goal Coach® Award National Finalists

Here is the list of the 150 National Finalists for PCA's 2017 Double-Goal Coach® Award Presented by TeamSnap.
01.22.2017

David Haugh's Back-to-Back Hits

Rarely, if ever, has a sportswriter run columns on consecutive days covering PCA National Advisory Board Members.
01.19.2017

Curtis Granderson Lights Up Scholarship Celebration

Curtis Granderson addressed not only the importance of community, but also the critical role parents play in helping their children develop as athletes and people.
12.22.2016

One Mother’s Unsparing Look at Youth Sports and Herself

Some day you might have a child who wants to quit their favorite sport or hobby despite obvious interest, talent and opportunity. I think this shows other parents what not to do.
12.13.2016

Top 10 Sports Topics of the Year to Discuss With Your Kids

As 2016 nears its end, we offer these Top 10 conversation-worthy from throughout the year stories to start discussion among coaches, parents and their youth athletes.
11.08.2016

Life Lessons from the World Series

Even a Jason Heyward, batting .150 in the World Series, may have the right stuff to step up – say, during a rain delay – and make a speech that galvanizes your team.
11.02.2016

MLB | PCA partnership feature by FOX Sports

Commissioner Rob Manfred explains why the MLB works with Positive Coaching Alliance. Roberto Clemente Award Winner Curtis Granderson shares how parents and coaches impacted him.
08.24.2016

2016 Chicago Hoops Huddle Highlights

PCA-Chicago celebrated Chicago sports, featuring guests Doug Bruno (DePaul Women's Basketball Head Coach) and Allie Quigley (WNBA Chicago Sky Guard).
08.23.2016

2016 TRIPLE-IMPACT COMPETITOR® SCHOLARSHIP FINALISTS

Following are updates of winners for PCA's 2016 Triple-Impact Competitor® Scholarship Program, listed by PCA Chapter or Area below.
03.21.2016

Stephen Bardo at Thuzio Executive Club Event

FOX Sports 1 broadcaster Stephen Bardo was at a Thuzio Executive Club event co-presented by PCA-Chicago.
03.14.2016

2016 Double-Goal Coach® Award National Finalists & Winners

Announcing the 2016 Double-Goal Coach award finalists and winners.