Are you a side-line coach
With spring in the air, flowers and baseball are in full bloom. As the father of a nine-year old son, each day is spent perfecting the art of baseball. This includes making that perfect pitch to first base, snagging those ground balls and driving those hits when were in the batters box. Oh, did I say we, sorry, I meant, when my son is in the batters box.
My son and I havent quit practicing baseball since last year. You see, he loves baseball and as many young players, has dreams of growing up to play Major League Baseball. For this reason, I must make sure hes doing everything right, avoiding any mistakes humanly possible, or should I?
Before my son started playing baseball, we would often go to the ballpark and watch other kids practice and play. One thing I found amusing and often disturbing was parent involvement and sideline coaching to the point of disrupting the entire game. To my dismay, I vowed to never be this sort of parent.
Oh, how we tend to forget those famous words, Ill never be that kind of parent. It usually starts out with a simple shout from the stands pay attention or get your head in the game and then before you know it, your standing on the side, shouting and pointing out every mistake your child makes. Thankfully, I havent reached this point, although it has been brought to my attention that my scorning frowns and sideline presence are quite distracting.
It is so important for parents to remember, these are youth sports. These are our children and they need our support and encouragement. We as parents have to let our children have fun and learn at their own pace. My son brought this to my attention when he said dad, I know when I mess up but it makes me play worse when you look like youre mad at me.
Sports play a very important role in teaching children how to function in society and being able to work as a team. As parents support and encourage your children to play sports. Have fun!
Author: Charles French