The PCA Blog - New York City

Linda Houghland Wins National Coaching Award

05.22.2017

Linda Houghland, who has coached multiple sports for Fair Hills Country Day School, primarily field hockey, has won Positive Coaching Alliance’s coveted Double-Goal Coach® Award presented by TeamSnap for her positive impact on youth athletes.

Houghland is one of 50 national recipients of the Double-Goal Coach award, named for coaches who strive to win while also pursuing the more important goal of teaching life lessons through sports. The award includes a $200 prize, a certificate, and mention within the websites and newsletters of Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), a national non-profit developing Better Athletes, Better People through youth and high school sports.

“Linda helps her players win on and off the field,” said Darrell Johnson, Executive Director of PCA-New York City, the local Chapter of Positive Coaching Alliance. “By creating a positive, character-building youth sports experience and serving as a Double-Goal Coach, Linda helps youth develop into better athletes and better people.”

Explaining the role of sports at her school, and how that informs her coaching style, Houghland said: “Students have to have a sport at our school. My job is to help them enjoy it. Winning has to take a back seat. Do I like to win? Yes. We do that by getting them to love the sport.”

Houghland’s approach demonstrates the role sports can play in the development of youth, Johnson said. “Our Chapter’s employees, board and supporters are thrilled that Coach Houghland is getting national recognition for her work. Having an award-winning Double-Goal Coach in the community provides an example for other coaches to emulate, so thousands more youth and high school athletes in our area can benefit from a positive, character-building sports experience.”

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