JOURNAL
Why Encouragement Changes Everything
The game had already ended.
Most of the crowd had made its way toward the parking lot. Parents were folding chairs, teammates were laughing about moments that had already begun fading into memory, and coaches were loading equipment into the back of their cars. Off to the side, one young athlete sat quietly by themselves. Maybe they had missed the final shot. Maybe they had made a costly mistake. Maybe they simply felt like they weren't good enough that day.
Then something small happened.
A teammate walked over. A coach knelt beside them. A parent placed a reassuring hand on their shoulder. There wasn't a speech. There wasn't a dramatic lesson. Just a few honest words spoken at exactly the right moment. Those conversations rarely last more than a minute or two, yet they often become some of the words young people carry with them for the rest of their lives.
We often assume the biggest moments in childhood are the championships, the trophies, or the celebrations. But when I think back on the people who shaped my own life, it wasn't usually the victories that stayed with me. It was the people who reminded me to keep going after things didn't go my way. The teacher who saw potential before I saw it in myself. The coach who refused to let one difficult day define an entire season. The parent who reminded me that one setback never determines who someone is becoming.
Research surrounding youth development, emotional resilience, and positive psychology continues to reinforce what many parents and coaches have experienced firsthand. Genuine encouragement doesn't simply make young people feel better in the moment. It strengthens confidence, reinforces perseverance, increases intrinsic motivation, and helps children develop a healthier belief in their own ability to overcome challenges. Over time, those moments begin shaping the way they talk to themselves, the risks they're willing to take, and the confidence they carry into the rest of life.
At SOREN, we believe encouragement is one of the greatest gifts we can offer another person.
Not because it changes a single day.
Because it can change the direction of an entire life.
Real encouragement isn't pretending everything is perfect or handing out praise that hasn't been earned. It's reminding someone that one mistake doesn't erase months of hard work. It's helping them see possibility when disappointment has narrowed their perspective. It's believing in someone long enough for them to begin believing in themselves.
"I've never met someone whose life was changed by criticism alone. But I've met countless people who can still remember one teacher, one coach, one parent, or one friend who believed in them at exactly the moment they needed it most. Never underestimate the power of a few sincere words."
BRENT WILTZ, FOUNDER OF SOREN
The beautiful thing about encouragement is that it doesn't require extraordinary talent. It can come from a teammate after a difficult practice, a coach who chooses belief over criticism, a sibling who reminds us to keep going, or a parent who quietly refuses to let one setback become the end of the story. The people offering those words often have no idea how deeply they'll be remembered.
Encouragement also has a remarkable way of multiplying over time. The young person who grows up believing in themselves often becomes the adult who believes in someone else. A coach who was once encouraged by a mentor begins encouraging the next generation. A parent who remembers being lifted up during difficult moments naturally offers that same gift to their own children. That's how culture is built. One conversation at a time. One relationship at a time. One life influencing another.
Long after the season has ended and the final scores have been forgotten, people rarely remember every statistic or every play. But they often remember exactly who helped them believe they could keep going when quitting would have been easier.
In the end, encouragement isn't just something we give.
It's something we pass on.
And that may be one of the greatest legacies any of us can leave behind.
Research & Development Sources Referenced
American Psychological Association (APA)
Harvard Center on the Developing Child
Positive Youth Development Research
Social & Emotional Learning (SEL) Research
Self-Efficacy Research
Positive Psychology Research
Topics Discussed
Youth Development
Encouragement
Confidence Building
Leadership
Resilience
Belonging
Positive Coaching
Parenting
Community
Compete Learn Grow
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Confidence Is Built Through Small Wins
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