Was It Something I Said? A Guide to Coaching Female Athletes

"Why is she crying?" Many times a coach has looked down the bench in the heat of a game and asked that question. This book is the answer to that question. It helps coaches understand and respect how females process and respond to information. Vanessa Sullivan, a Southern Connecticut State University graduate with a degree in Psychology, has played and coached enough to know what so many coaches don't, namely, that girls are different. Not weaker, just different. The stories in this book will provide examples of how females process the feedback a coach gives, while advising the adjustment needed to effectively communicate with your athletes.

Mike Tully has studied peak performance for four decades, first as an international sports writer, then as a high school and NCAA coach, and now as an author, speaker and blogger. He covered four Olympics, including the 1980 Miracle on Ice, more than 100 consecutive World Series games and several Stanley Cup playoffs. His teams have won two state titles and many conference championships. They would have won more if he had met Vanessa Sullivan sooner. Vanessa Sullivan owns a degree in Psychology from Southern Connecticut State University, where she played volleyball on scholarship and set school records for digs. She is entering into her third season coaching in the NCAA. Her high school won the state championship and the Tournament of Champions, finishing No. 1 in the state. Vanessa has often looked at coaches and thought, "What game are they watching?" Vanessa and Mike are both members of the Center for Sport Success.