The 5:1 Magic Ratio


Responsible Coaches and Parents use the Magic Ratio of 5:1: 5 praises to 1 criticism.

It’s a model that the experts at Positive Coaching Alliance have shared with us to help us stay focused on filling kids’ emotional tanks.

Explore the content below to learn more about the 5:1 Magic Ratio.

Latest Articles

Team Communication

Among the most daunting challenges for any Responsible Coach is getting players to communicate with each other during game action. Youth athletes often resist taking charge vocally, whether from shyness or fear of making an incorrect call.

Magic Ratio

The Magic Ratio, rooted in sports and educational psychology research, states that coaches can get the most out of youth athletes by providing five specific, truthful praises for every one piece of specific, constructive criticism.

Stop Coaching Shortages

We asked the experts at Responsible Sports: what can we, the community of Responsible Sport Parents, do to help reverse this trend? The answer may lie in the Positive Coaching Alliance principle of the Emotional Tank.

How To Handle Tryouts

Tryouts can be tough not only for the athletes, but for their parents and coaches as well. Parents may find it difficult to console a child who has failed to make a team. Likewise coaches often dread “the cut”, informing athletes that gave their all that they just didn’t make it.

Giving Feedback To Youth Athletes

Nobody likes being criticized. But to truly grow and learn, we have to learn to be open to constructive criticism. But what if we didn’t even look at it as “criticism”? What if we viewed everything through the more positive, productive lens of “feedback”? Or at the very least, “kid-friendly criticism”?