Parenting tip

[Eric F]

Some people get this right. Some people miss by a lot.

 

[SoCalASABlue]

Love it!!

 

[SoAZDad]

Perfect. Thanks Eric.

 

[1bucketmom]

This sigh should be mandatory at every sporting venue.

 

[BuckeyeGuy]

I would like to add a caveat to this for those of us with kids with developmental and/or medical issues:

Sometimes that athlete you think is uncoachable, disrespectful, or lazy is simply different, and may need a different coaching approach.

Just throwing that out there. My DD ran into a hitting coach this summer that just flat intimidated her (not through anything he did, she just reacted poorly to his style, and she does have issues we are working through with her doctor). He pulled me aside to tell me how she's uncoachable. That really made me sit down and try to be as objective as I could regarding my DD. I determined that he was both right and wrong, and that it was up to me to put her into a position to benefit from coaches who know more than I do.

It's definitely a process.

 

[Eric F]

I would like to add a caveat to this for those of us with kids with developmental and/or medical issues:

Sometimes that athlete you think is uncoachable, disrespectful, or lazy is simply different, and may need a different coaching approach.

Just throwing that out there. My DD ran into a hitting coach this summer that just flat intimidated her (not through anything he did, she just reacted poorly to his style, and she does have issues we are working through with her doctor). He pulled me aside to tell me how she's uncoachable. That really made me sit down and try to be as objective as I could regarding my DD. I determined that he was both right and wrong, and that it was up to me to put her into a position to benefit from coaches who know more than I do.

It's definitely a process.

IMO, part of being a good teacher/coach is adapting the lesson to the way your students learn, especially with younger ages.

 

[collinspc]

DS just made the Middle School basketball team, not his first sport but he loves playing. He was certain he didn't make the team as he was with the group of ten not sure to make the team. I told him the night before the last day of try outs to do his best, listen to what he was told, and be a team player no matter what and he could honestly say he gave it his all. He was given an envelope after the last practice with a congratulatory letter. One of the coaches pulled him aside the next morning, asked him if he knew why he made the team. DS said he didn't know for sure why, Coach proceeds to tell him that he hustled everyday, listened to the coaches, was a team player and had what they thought could be good skill set in time. I was never more proud than at that moment. The added bonus is that this coach is also the HC for baseball, which is DS best/favorite sport.

 

[Eric F]

DS just made the Middle School basketball team, not his first sport but he loves playing. He was certain he didn't make the team as he was with the group of ten not sure to make the team. I told him the night before the last day of try outs to do his best, listen to what he was told, and be a team player no matter what and he could honestly say he gave it his all. He was given an envelope after the last practice with a congratulatory letter. One of the coaches pulled him aside the next morning, asked him if he knew why he made the team. DS said he didn't know for sure why, Coach proceeds to tell him that he hustled everyday, listened to the coaches, was a team player and had what they thought could be good skill set in time. I was never more proud than at that moment. The added bonus is that this coach is also the HC for baseball, which is DS best/favorite sport.

You're doing it right, collinspc!

 

[canyonjoe]

Collins, your son sounds like my DD. I take none of the credit, but the next time I see her not hustle or listen to a coach will be the first time that I can remember. It doesn't matter if she is the best player or the worst player on her team she is always the first one out for drills, give it 100 percent and will do anything they ask.

Buckeye, I totally agree with you on coaching style. Some kids just don't respond to being yelled at over and over. Conversely there are kids who if they never get pushed will never improve.

Eric, thanks for the post, I will send it to DD's coaches to hand out to our parents.

 

[Mom_Coach_Fan]

I would like to add a caveat to this for those of us with kids with developmental and/or medical issues:

Sometimes that athlete you think is uncoachable, disrespectful, or lazy is simply different, and may need a different coaching approach.

Just throwing that out there. My DD ran into a hitting coach this summer that just flat intimidated her (not through anything he did, she just reacted poorly to his style, and she does have issues we are working through with her doctor). He pulled me aside to tell me how she's uncoachable. That really made me sit down and try to be as objective as I could regarding my DD. I determined that he was both right and wrong, and that it was up to me to put her into a position to benefit from coaches who know more than I do.

It's definitely a process.

Thank you! This really, really hits home!