SIGN UP FOR THE IL OPD WEBINAR
When? Sunday, March 29th 2026
Parent Session: "How Parents can Build Resilient Players?" from 6.30pm to 7.15pm
Player Session: "The Next Play Mentality" from 7.30pm to 8.10pm
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Navigating ODP Selection
ODP selection announcements can be emotionally challenging for players AND parents. The goal of this workshop is to provide tools that help families respond to both success and disappointment in a healthy, productive way.
The central concept guiding the workshop is Psychological Flexibility. Rather than telling players to “be mentally tough” and suppress emotions, psychological flexibility teaches athletes to:
-Acknowledge emotions
-Maintain perspective
-Focus on controllable actions
-Continue moving toward development goals
This approach is widely used in elite sport and performance psychology because it helps athletes stay adaptable, resilient, and motivated over the LONG TERM.
The Golden Thread: Psychological Flexibility
Traditional youth sport messaging often focuses on mental toughness. But mental toughness is often misunderstood as:
- Ignoring emotions
- Suppressing disappointment
- “Just get over it”
In reality, elite performers demonstrate something different: Psychological Flexibility
Psychological flexibility is the ability to:
Accept difficult moments → Refocus on what matters → Take constructive action.
In our context of ODP selection, it means:
- Handling disappointment without losing confidence
- Staying committed to development
- Learning from experience rather than being defined by it
This concept will guide both the parent session and player session.
Our Webinar Structure
Two short virtual workshops delivered after our final ODP event and before selection announcements followed by ‘Parent Resource Guide’ and ‘Player Resource Guide’ sent direct post event.
|
Session |
Audience |
Duration |
Focus |
|
Session 1 |
Parents |
45 minutes |
Supporting players through selection |
|
Session 2 |
Players |
40 minutes |
Psychological flexibility & resilience |
