The Ride Home

Every now and then I like to add these little gems to our website.  While our kids are learning the sport and creating friendships we need to step back from time to time and remember they are just kids, doing kid things.  I've mentioned this previously in other posts... don't ruin their day on the ride home.  They know if they won or lost and will likely forget about the outcome long before you have.

A coach only wants the best for your child and will help your child improve by letting him or her know "as a team (not individually)" if the effort was there or not.  The coach will let the team know what they need to work on for next game or practice to be successful.  Let the coaches coach and build your player up to what they can become even if you think it's not fast enough.

I cannot stress this enough, if your child is leaving a game or practice smiling, they had fun.  Don't knock them down because of what you saw in one game or a practice.  A good coach will spend a lot of time building up your player's confidence.  Just know, that it can be taken away in a split second by someone they look up to more than a coach on the ride home.

Meet the group

We all have friends or friends of friends or know someone like these people. We all want our kids to grow and get better at what sport they play and have fun while doing it.

Let's not be the reason they stop playing.

This is house league and no scouts are in the stands, not contracts are being handed out.  Nobody is getting drafted today. Let the kids have fun, let the coaches coach and let the refs do they best they can.

Who's reffing?

Two dads watching a kids game when one dad turns to the other and asks:

Dad 1: Which one is your son?
Dad 2: Why?
Dad 1: Wanted to tell him how terrible he is.
Dad 2: You can't say that, he's only a kid, how would you like it if I said that to your son?
Dad 1: You've been doing it all game.
Dad 2: Who is your son?
Dad 1: The referee...

Parents, take that extra second before you you speak/shout.  Please remember, everyone is learning at this level, even the refs.