Parenting the 2nd String Athlete
As a parent for 18 years and an athletic coach for 25 years, I have experienced numerous effects parents have on their child's athletic experience! Athletics provide valuable life lessons apart from the actual skill and play time on the field. Parents can help maximize the whole athletic experience if they have realistic expectations and goals for each season. In this article I want to explain one of the most overlooked life lessons athletics provide.
Knowing and understanding your role on a team will maximize their experience! This is the first step in continued growth and development. As parents we tend to look at situations from our perspective as adults instead of the athlete's perspective from their maturity level. We all want the best for our sons or daughters. Our children crave us to be proud of them. They need to be reassured that we are appreciative of their effort and what role they have “earned”! It is ok for them to be disappointed and desire a bigger role! The lesson is to acknowledge and understand the role that they have presently earned. Then embrace it! Our obligation as the parent is to support and encourage our children in the current opportunity they are given. We need to have conversations with them about how they can perform this role to their best ability.
Let's say your son is the backup offensive lineman on a football team. What is his…
