How to give positive reinforcement

It was a soccer practice session with my team of 12-year-old girls. I was explaining that we were going to work on a particular skill because they had not done very well with it in the game the day before.

"Well, that's not a very positive way to put it," noted one child, who knows well my penchant for positive reinforcement rather than criticism.

"Ok," I said.  "How about: You positively did not do this well during the game.  Is that better?"

"That will do," she replied.