Little League

[HuntingJudge]

Not directing this to Brian in particular, just sharing more generally. I have had many years of coaching my son's traveling football and basketball teams & daughters basketball team - extremely fond memories. Also years of watching them be coached by others in traveling lacrosse, gymnastics, softball and varsity sports - extremely fond memories (but was challenging to shift from coach to spectator of football for the first few games). I've coached teams who have won state tournaments and had a nearly winless season - the memories are just as good for all. I have formed long term friendships with other coaches and parents, but have also 3 different times been coaching games where the police had to be called to remove another coach or parent (including one involving a gun used to threaten a ref) - once involving 4 years olds playing flag football. All of this has taught me a few simple truths:

• The most important rule of youth sports - kids play, coaches coach, refs ref and parents cheer - never confuse your role. If you can't honor this, stay home (and frankly take a hard look in the mirror).
• They are kids, let them be kids (even 17 year olds are kids). They are not there to validate your gene pool, relive your high school prowess, make you look good, save you the cost of college tuition or have success you may regret you never had.
• The kids want only three things from their parents (1) be there regularly, (2) win or lose cheer and (3) don't embarrass them.
• Very very very very few kids want their parents to add extra coaching after the game - just praise their effort and love them. If they want your guidance they will ask.
• If your kid is athletically gifted enough to get a scholarship you can only screw it up. Their talent, not your prodding, will get them there if that is what they want and where they belong.
• And the corollary, if your kid is not athletically gifted enough to get a scholarship your prodding will certainly make it worse.
• Celebrate, honor, reward and invest in your daughter's sports every bit as much as you do your son's.

Very nice job on the bullet points. I forget as a coach some times that they are just kids.

 

[3855WIN]

My kid was on the 2B-CF rotation in LL. He didn’t have the arm for SS or 3B. OF is no fun, right? Wrong. He used his elite speed and was one of the first players in the league to make running catches in the OF. That saved many runs and won games for us.