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TrueSport Program

We Saved You a Spot on the Team.

We value champions and champion values at all levels of sport. Whether you are a coach at your local school district, a little league parent volunteer, or an elite club organizer, this program is for you.

Help us change the culture of youth sport – one team at a time. The TrueSport Program is a robust, expert-based resource library with athletes, parents, and coaches in mind. Program resources include:

  • Curriculum-style lessons
  • Athlete videos
  • Coaching certification

 

  • Interactive & practical activities
  • Supporting publications
  • Engaging discussion starters
 
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The TrueSport Program is helping coaches, camp organizers, and all members of the youth sports community teach valuable skills and life lessons to ensure that young athletes succeed on and off the field.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Explore Program Resources

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TrueSport
Lessons

Get access to interactive and practical resources to help you easily incorporate sportsmanship, character building, & life skills into school and sport settings.

Learn More
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Train the
Trainer

Get the training you and your staff need directly from TrueSport to best implement the lessons with your athletes and advocate for positive values in sport.

Learn More
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Coaching Certification

Get TrueSport certified while learning to prepare athletes for success on and off the field with courses on ethics & philosophy, PEDs, energy drinks and more.

Learn More
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Athlete Ambassador Engagement

Get Olympic, Paralympic, & National Team athletes in front of your team to inspire excellence beyond wins &losses.

Learn More
A stack of various TrueSport lesson publications.

The TrueSport Program starts at $5 and is available in both digital and hard copy.

Questions?
Email: TrueSport@TrueSport.org
Tel: 719-323-6868

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What's Covered

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Sportsmanship


Respect & Accountability
A Good Sport
Teamwork
Leadership
Bullying Prevention

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Character Building
& Life Skills


Goal-Setting
Decision-Making
Shortcuts
Perseverance
Performance Anxiety

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Clean & Healthy Performance


Energy Drinks
Dietary Supplements
Performance-Enhancing Drugs
Nutrition
Hydration
Preparation & Recovery
Clean Sport
Body Image

Kara Winger talking to young female basketball athletes.

The TrueSport Program starts at $5 and is available in both digital and hard copy.

Questions?
Email: truesport@TrueSport.org
Tel: 719-323-6868

Get Started

Join the Team

Are you a coach? Are you a parent? Are you a sports administrator?

Bring TrueSport to your athletes!

“TrueSport is working to share and encourage the very same values that my camps are built on. Things like integrity, perseverance and courage. And the TrueSport lessons are delivered in an actionable, relatable way. You can actually see the principles taking root – see them changing the behaviors of the athletes. So, on top of playing an amazing game that is fun and on top of trying to great and succeed, we can also learn what it takes to grow from a youngster or adolescent into a respectable young adult through the sport. This is something that any and every young player can achieve through the game…and that is awesome!”

Trevor Tierney, President and co-founder of LXTC Lacrosse
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The TrueSport Program Video Transcript

NARRATOR: We all believe that sport can enrich the lives of young people, that it can help them build the character, values, and skills that will equip them for lasting success. And this is why True Sport was founded, to help coaches and parents champion the values learned through sport.

RICK SWAN: Kids need that opportunity to learn about how to be good teammates, how to eat properly, build leadership skills. And there’s so many different lessons that you can offer through the true sport program that it just helps them learn about so many different things. It encompasses the whole realm of being an athlete and playing sports.

NARRATOR: True Sport provides coaches and camp directors around the country with powerful educational tools to take their programs beyond skills and drills.

TREVOR TIERNEY: Things like resilience, things like accountability. All these different off the field lessons through sport provided us with some curriculum and materials to help our athletes get better. So, for us to team up with true sport made the kids programs that we were doing here even better.

STEPHANIE NICHOLS: The way that True Sport adds value to me and my team and my coaching style is that I can take real life examples from what happens in practice that day, look at the curriculum from the playbook, and put those two things together. So for example, if I have a kid showing up late to practice, we can have a conversation about accountability and making sure that they’re prepared. Not only for that individual, but for every kid on the team so that they’re learning from each other’s experiences as well.

RICK SWAN: One of my favorite lessons to teach is the goal setting. I love the goal setting map. I love to talk to campers about how to set goals, show them the map that they get to take home. I’ve had campers come back and show me how they filled it out. So, I really liked the goal setting.

STEPHANIE NICHOLS: For me, the planning portion takes only about five to 10 minutes. The biggest pieces that I use are the chalk talks, which are basically discussion questions. And the key takeaways. So, my five to 10 minutes of preparation turns into five to 10 minutes of us having a conversation with those chalk talk conversation starters, and us really getting into a discussion.

Sometimes it might only take one of those questions for us to fill up the entire five minutes, but it at least gets that going. And some of those discussion questions are things that I may not have thought about myself, but definitely apply to what we’re going through at that time.

NARRATOR: True Sports flexible and easy to use resources allow coaches and partners to easily fit values-based and life skills education into any program. With true sport, you pick the lesson and we provide the tools and activities.

TREVOR TIERNEY:  A lot of coaches struggle with finding the time to provide these types of educational pieces or off the field advice to their athletes. So, with the materials that true sport gives us, whether it’s online or pre-printed, or just training us as trainers around these materials, we can give this advice and this educational pieces to our athletes after practices, during practices, and then provide the materials to our parents.

RICK SWAN: I think other coaches should adopt the True Sport program because it’s an opportunity for us to teach young athletes the right things to do in sports and the right way to get started when they’re young, so that as they grow and they get older, they can look back and by teaching them when they’re young, it’s just going to make it better for everybody and all our youth as they grow over the years.

NARRATOR: Together with coaches and partner programs across the country, we’re working to change the culture of youth sport.

TREVOR TIERNEY: The role of coaches is to be educators and I think a lot of times as coaches, we know what we know, but we don’t know what we don’t know. And the off the field materials and learning more around some of the curriculum that True Sport provides, I think is really important for coaches to take the time to do that. So they can be more well-rounded coaches, more well-rounded educators, and provide athletes with the information that they need for them as young people to take forward with the rest of their lives so that they can be successful in whatever work they’re doing.

The TrueSport program lessons are designed to be applicable to athletes in many stages of development, flexible to the coach and team’s needs and promote TrueSport in Action. Each Lesson includes a companion (shortened version) to be used out in the field, along with chalk-talk discussion starters and age-appropriate activities to be TrueSport to life in the daily actions of your athletes.

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Train the Trainer

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The TrueSport Train the Trainer package gives a program’s own athletes and coaches the opportunity to become TrueSport trainers and advocates – who inspire young athletes, spread the message of positive TrueSport values, and further elevate the stature of the organization.
 

Coaching Certification

The TrueSport Coaching Certification program invites coaches from all levels of play to refresh their intentions, continue their education, and prepare their athletes for long-term success. The program covers four focus areas:

  1. Developing Your Coaching Philosophy and Ethics
  2. Understanding Supplements and Energy Drinks
  3. Navigating Performance-Enhancing Drugs

Read the course objectives.

video transcript

Athlete Ambassadors Engagement

The TrueSport Ambassador program is made up of Olympians, Paralympians, National Team Members, and Youth Sport Influencers. All of the representatives are incredible role models who help inspire future generations to achieve excellence through sport participation.

TrueSport is incredibly honored and grateful to work with such passionate and influential individuals who contribute to TrueSport’s efforts by sharing their individual sport journeys and TrueStories.

Meet the Ambassadors!

Kara Winger giving a presentation to elementary school children.

What Kind of Coach Do You Want to Be? Video Transcript

Edwin Moses: You’re a coach. Maybe what you want is very simple, for everyone to just run in the right direction, score for their own team, to try and try again and again. Maybe you want your athletes to become all stars. You want them to earn trophies, medals, win titles. You want them to reach the highest height their sport allows. And wanting all of that, of course, that’s good. But as every great coach discovers, developing a great athlete means nurturing, nurturing the even greater person within. Truth is, you have even more influence than you know.

You have the ability to affect even deeper change, to take what’s in your hands and do something even more extraordinary. You can be both the coach who provides the skills needed to win the game and the coach who helps them learn and succeed beyond the sport, to become all stars wherever they land in the future, and to enjoy their lives more now, because the confidence and courage they find working with you will stay with them when they need it the most. There are games to be won, lives to change. Coaches have the power to do both.

I’m Edwin Moses, and the lessons I’ve learned through sport have challenged me, guided me, and shaped my life forever. What kind of coach do you want to be?

Goal-Setting Lesson Video Transcript

Hi. I’m Trevon, Trey, Jennifer. Team USA wheelchair basketball player, paralympian, and true sport athlete. Today, I want to talk to you about goal setting. And there are three things that I would like you to know. First, successful athletes set goals and a planned roadmap. Second, goals should be written down, assessed over time, and changed if necessary. And third, goals need to be challenging in order to be worthwhile. As a freshmen at Edinboro University, I was a part of a team that made the national championship game. And at that time I recognized I was the low man on the totem pole, but I felt in my heart that I knew my dreams were so much bigger than winning a national title. I wanted to make Team USA. I knew what achieving my lofty goal was not going to be easy and that I would need to work hard every day.

So, as a reminder, I created a pyramid of goals that I kept right above my bed. This pyramid reminded me of the accomplishments that I was working towards and visually represented my need to create a solid foundation underneath me before reaching the top. In the bottom roll of my pyramid of goals I listed goals such as obtaining my bachelor’s degree, becoming a scholar athlete award recipient, and becoming an All-American. The middle row listed winning a national title and playing for a professional team. And at the top row, the most challenging of them all, I listed becoming a gold medalist for Team USA.

By understanding that there are smaller stepping stones to achieving my ultimate goal of being on Team USA, I was able to stay motivated and to stay focused on completing the smaller stepping stones fully before moving onto the next one. Now I’ll be the first to admit that not every goal that I listed on my pyramid was accomplished, but seeing my goals every day when I went to bed, I was able to push through the days that I felt like doing nothing in hopes of achieving the bigger picture. Remember, create a clear goal roadmap, assess your goals often, and continue to challenge yourself. I hope that you never stopped dreaming big or reaching for the stars. And I look forward to seeing where your roadmap takes you.

Body Image Lesson Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Kara Winger, Olympic javelin thrower, and true sport athlete. Today I want to talk to you about body image and I have three things I’d like you to know. First, healthy thoughts often lead to healthier bodies. Second, there are varying body types and no one’s body is exactly like another. And third, true beauty goes deeper than the skin. As a multi-time Olympian, I’ve experienced a lot of variation and progression in my training. My coaches and I adapt to my training frequently, all with the goal of supporting my long-term success and health in the sport of javelin. I’m talking to you about body image today because sometimes even with the best of intentions and a common goal in mind, the changes you make to your training habits can prove to be detrimental if made for the wrong reasons. In the lead up to the 2012 Olympic trials, I was told in order to improve my performance on the field, I should try to become a leaner, skinnier version of myself.

So I changed my diet. I went along with what I was being told to do, even though I’d had great success at a slightly heavier weight and higher body fat percentage, and became much leaner than ever before. It seemed like a successful change at first, but I didn’t have nearly the results I’d had before. And I believe becoming leaner than my body naturally wanted to be was what caused my ACL to tear. In the end, it cost me heavily going into the 2012 London games. The takeaway for me, and hopefully for you, is that it’s important to know what works for you and your body and to not compare yourself to others. You should do your research and experiment with your diet to find what makes you feel the best, rather than focusing on what you look like. Today, if I feel like having a chocolate chip cookie, I have one, just not every day.

I’ve learned what a properly balanced meal for my body looks like and I recognize food as the fuel that keeps me throwing. I hydrate and allow myself time to recover. And I listen to and communicate with my body so that I can be the best version of myself. In the end, you are in control of how you see, treat, and respond to your body. We only get one and it’s amazing to discover how many things our bodies can do. Be a true sport athlete. Love who you are in this moment and get excited for all the places your body will take you.

A Good Sport Lesson Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Izy Isaksen, Team USA, Modern Pentathlon, Olympian, US Army Sergeant, and True Sport Ambassador. Today, I want to talk to you about being a good sport. There are three things I’d like you to know. First, real winners act the same toward their opponent, whether they win or lose. Second, follow the rules and be a gracious winner and respectful loser. And third, sportsmanship reveals your true character.

I started competing in Modern Pentathlon eight years after my older sister and three-time Olympian, Margaux Isaksen, began competing. I soon realized that people often compared the two of us. I would overhear spectators and teammates asking, “Who’s the better athlete,” and “Who’s going to beat the other.” Instead of letting outside pressures create a negative experience for us, I chose to practice winning and losing with grace and respect. I know that it would have been easy to let our hyper competitive mindset affect our relationship, but instead we decided to support and cheer for each other, regardless of our own performance. My experience of competing against and being compared to my older sister, taught me to focus on how to perform at my best, rather than putting wasted energy into wishing for others to fail.

I believe that sportsmanship reveals true character. So, no matter what situation I encounter during competition, I know it’s important to always treat people with respect and be a good sport. Remember, be a fierce competitor, find grace in all your victories and losses. And I hope to see you out there.

THE SIMPLE TRUTH: DECODING THE SUPPLEMENT INDUSTRY VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

At first glance, dietary supplements look the same. They seem safe and healthy, but just because the label says a product is a dietary supplement, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Unfortunately, you can’t tell whether a product is safe or not just by looking at the label. Most vitamins, minerals, fish oil, and other supplements containing nutrients are probably just fine, but supplements are not evaluated or approved by FDA before they are sold. Although it is rare for vitamins or minerals to be contaminated with drugs, there has been at least one case of a vitamin containing an anabolic steroid.

At the other extreme are products that contain drugs, stimulants, anabolic steroids, or other hormones. Even though these are not technically dietary supplements, many of them are labeled as supplements. For example, body-building products sometimes contain anabolic steroids or Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, known as SARMs, or other hormones. Some pre-workout or energy products contain illegal stimulants like DMAA, ephedra, or other amphetamine-like stimulants. Weight loss products might contain prescription drugs like sibutramine, or hormones, like human chorionic gonadotropin, also known as hCG. All natural or herbal sexual enhancement products might contain hormones or Viagra-like drugs. Products like these can harm your health and career, but they’re for sale online, in some nutrition stores, and they’re labeled as dietary supplements.

When you pick up a supplement, especially one that promises performance enhancement, you don’t know if it belongs in the “Mostly O.K.” pile or in the “Dangerous” pile. After all, two products might look the same, but one might contain just amino acids and other legitimate ingredients, while the other also contains anabolic steroids. Because of this, FDA has issued a warning about certain categories of supplements: body building products, weight loss products, and sexual enhancement products. Be extremely careful when considering a supplement in one of these categories. We strongly recommend that you avoid products in these categories.

Even when FDA tests supplements and finds dangerous ingredients, companies sometimes refuse to recall them. Sometimes, they simply repackage their product and continue selling it under a new name. Just because a product is on a store shelf doesn’t mean it is safe. You need to do your research and be an informed consumer. The dietary supplement industry is enormous. Supplements that appear to be safe could actually be dangerous products in disguise. If you use dietary supplements without doing your research, you may be taking serious risks with your health and your career. Please visit USADA’s Supplement 411 for more information about dietary supplements.