PCT Process: Resources

The following are resources you can use to implement the PCT Process in your Youth Sports organization. The first resource you may with to explore is the Glossary of PCT Terms.

Glossary of PCT Terms- The list of terms used to describe and discuss the PCT process.

Frequently Asked Questions- The list of questions commonly asked by Coach and parents.

DOWNLOADABLE FILES

Downloadable White Papers

The PCT Process White Paper. A downloadable paper by Dan Mezick that describes the mechanics of the PCT process, and some of the inner-workings, such as Parent-group self-organization.

NOTE: If you want to influence the development of the PCT Process, consider writing a paper or experience report and sending it to me.

Downloadable Slides and Presentations:

The PCT Process Slide Presentation. A downloadable set of PowerPoint Slides you can use to present the concept to your Youth Sports (Youth Hockey) organization. The PCT Process originated with my favorite sport-- hockey-- and the process can be applied to any Youth Sport.

PCT Process Development Cronology- A paper documenting the cronology of development of PCT framework. Includes dates and emails, including emails to and from Jeff Sutherland about the PCT concept.

Experience Reports:

NOTE: I welcome reports about your experience with the PCT Process in your Youth Sports organization. Please email me any data you have. Your report is useful to others (like me) who can learn from it.

If prefer to not identify your organization, use the generic [Town] for your Town, [Org] for your organization name, [Team name] for your team, [Head Coach] for the actual name of the head Coach, etc. I welcome your feedback and will never post it here without your permission.

BACKGROUND ON THE PCT PROCESS

Links on the Science behind the PCT Process

Complexity Science- The study of complexity. The findings of Complexity science can be used for more natural, more productive, more enjoyable and far more innovative results managing people, organizations and communities. Leading-edge organizations are finding that the key principles of Complexity science allow them to cope more effectively with rapid change and make full use of human creativity. Many people believe this will become the dominant form of organization in the 21st Century.

Complex Adaptive Systems- This is background from Complexity Science. Youth Sports organizations are involved in rapidly moving, high-change, complex tasks involving hundreds of people acting all at the same time. This link helps explain complex adaptive systems such as Youth Sports organizations

Scrum- Scrum is a set of empirical, iterative methods for managing a very complex task-- software development. Scrum is changing the world for the better. It is gaining broad influence in business, not just software development. Yahoo, Google and Microsoft employ Scrum as a way to manage business processes. The PCT process is "inspired by Scrum"

Scrum at Google- A video featuring Dr. Jeff Sutherland, the originator of the Scrum method of managing software development projects. Google uses Scrum. The PCT Process is inspired by Scrum and Dr. Jeff Sutherland's impressive work on Scrum.

Scrum's "Chickens and Pigs" -- Scrum inspires and informs the structure of the overall PCT Process. Scrum also has the Observer role for certain meetings. In Scrum, by definition, Observers are uncommitted and called (somewhat derisively) "Chickens". In PCT, Observers cannot talk and have seating that reflects their low level of commitment to the team. Click this link to learn more from Dr. Jeff Sutherland (co creator of the Scrum method) regarding Observers, Observers speaking, and meeting productivity.

Empiricism- Empiricism is the root of Scrum, and all methods of managment that use iterative feedback loops to generate first-hand observations are also rooted in Empiricism. The PCT Process is based on an empirical, inspect-and-adapt approach to youth sports. Frequent observations and inspection of that data leads to system-wide adaptation-- and learning. Empiricism works anywhere people group together to accomplish a task.

RESEARCH AND LEARNING TOOLS

Group Dynamics Links

"Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing": Here is the original research paper from the 1960's, upon which that trendy saying is based: Developmental Sequence in Small Groups by Bruce Tuckman. It is good fundamental read if you are new to the study of groups and group dynamics in a complex adaptive system.

Bioteams Assessment Tool- This tool allows teams to assess how they rate across several criteria. Most of the criteria in this assessment matches up very well to how "Agile" and "Scrum" teams operate to solve problems. The PCT process is inspired by Scrum, which is an "Agile method". Accordingly, this assessment from the BioTeams site can be interesting as a reflection tool for progressive Youth Sports organizations that are focused on learning, adaptation and overall process improvement. This is a fascinating tool. We all belong to groups and teams (families, companies, volunteer organizations) organized around certain tasks. If you are implementing the PCT Process, use this tool periodically to rate the self-organization aspects of your Parent-group.

Articles Highlighting THE PROBLEMS the PCT Process can solve:

These related articles from around the web tend to more clearly define the problems that PCT is designed to help solve:

When Parents and Coaches Clash- An excellent article that brings differences between Parents and Head Coach into sharper focus. The article shows how quickly acrimony between Parents and Coaches can develop without a shared perception of what the team is and is trying to accomplish.

From the article: "As a coach, I have learned from my mistakes and I have gained knowledge from talking with other coaches. Beginning in the spring of 2002, I will host my first annual coaches-parent meeting to discuss my philosophy of coaching and my expectations and rules for the upcoming season. Do I expect the entire room full of parents to agree with me? No. Do I expect them to support my rules and expectations? Absolutely."

Adults Hurting Youth Sports- A fine article that confirms the problem, but offers no solutions. Did I mention that the PCT process is part of the solution?? From the article: "There is a real silent majority of parents who don't like what's going on and are uncomfortable with the direction youth sports has taken,'' said Thompson, a member of the panel. "Yet even though they have this anxiety, they also don't know what to do.''

The Parent Trap- A good article discussing how Parents may behave when there is no recurring, structured communication between Parents and Coaches. Written from the coaches point of view. From the article: "Now that the season is well under way, how many of you coaches have had the hockey "parent-monster" rear its ugly head? Many, I'm sure....in this article, we'll identify the common "species" of Parent-monsters and their characteristics, and then outline strategies you can use to "neutralize" them."

Are you using the PCT Process in your Youth Sports organization? Please contact me and tell me more-- I am keenly interested in receiving a report of your experience with the PCT Process.