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from Bob Wilson
March 2005
Dear Parents,
Here are some hints on
how to make this a fun season, with lots of positive
memories for your kids and your family.
1. Make sure your kids know that, win or lose, you love
them. Be the person in their life they can always look
to for support.
2. Try to be completely honest with yourself about your
kids 'athletic capability, their competitive attitude,
their sportsmanship, and their level of skills.
3. Be helpful, but don't coach your kids on the way to
the game or at the breakfast table. Think how tough it
must be on them to be continually inundated with advice,
pep talks, and criticism.
4. Teach your kids to enjoy the thrill of competition,
to be out there trying, to be constantly working to
improve their skills, to take physical bumps and come
back for more. Don't tell them that winning doesn't
count because it does, and they know it. Instead, help
them develop a healthy competitive attitude, a "feel"
for competing, for trying hard, for having a good time.
5. Try not to live your life through your kids. You've
lost as well as won, you've been frightened, and you've
backed off at times. Sure they're an extension of you,
but don't assume they feel the same way you did, want
the same things, or have the same attitude.
6. Don't push them in the direction that gives you the
most satisfaction. Don't compete with your kids'
coaches. A coach may become a hero to your kids for a
while, someone who can do no wrong, and you may find
that hard to take. Conversely, don't automatically side
with your kids against their coaches. Try to help them
understand the necessity for discipline, rules, and
regulations.
7. Don't compare your kids with other players on their
team - at least not within their hearing - don't lie to
them about their capabilities as a player. If you are
overly protective, you will perpetuate the problem.
8. Get to know the coaches. Make sure you approve of
each coach's attitude and ethics. Coaches can be
influential, and you should know the values of each
coach so that you can decide whether or not you want
them passed on to your kids.
9. Remember that children tend to exaggerate. Temper
your reactions to stories they bring home from practice
or the game about how they were praised or criticized.
Don't criticize them for exaggerating, but don't
overreact to the stories they tell you.
10. Teach your kids the meaning of courage. Some of us
can climb mountains, but are frightened about getting
into a fight. Some of us can fight without fear, but
turn to jelly at the sight of a bee. Everyone is
frightened about something. Courage isn't the absence of
fear. Courage is learning to perform in spite of fear.
Courage isn't getting rid of fear. It's overcoming it.
11. Winning is an important goal. Winning at all costs
is stupidity.
12. Remember that officials are necessary.
Don't
overreact to their calls. They have rules and guidelines
to follow representing authority on the field. Teach
your kids to respect authority and to play by the rules.
13. Finally, remember, if the kids aren't having fun,
we're missing the whole point of youth sports.
We look forward to a
great season for The Predators and look for your
participation in all our activities.
Regards,
Bob Wilson |
