- Don’t coach your child from the sidelines.
During practice sessions, your child should only be listening to instructions from their coaches. Remember that you are a spectator and not the coach of your child’s team. If you start telling your child what to do from the sidelines, you’re undermining the coach’s authority and putting your child in a difficult situation; who are they supposed to listen to?
- Never get into a public confrontation with another parent, the officials or the coaches.
One of the main goals of our team is to teach your child the value of sportsmanship. As a parent, it is your duty to set a good example of what a “good sport” looks like. If you have a problem with the coach, talk to them in private after the game or practice. If you don’t agree with a call, you’re allowed to be upset but keep your frustration to yourself. You can’t hold your wards to any standards you don’t adhere to.
- Get your kids to practice/games on time.
Juggling the family schedule is no easy task, but as the parent you are the main method of transportation for your child. Until they can drive themselves to and from games/practices, it is up to you to get them there on time. If you can’t make it on time, arrange for your child to get picked up by another family.
- Praise your child for what they do right. Don’t focus on what they did wrong.
Remember that children focuses on learning the fundamentals of their given sport. Your kids are still learning and are going to make mistakes. They will be hard enough on themselves for making a mistake without you harping on what they did wrong. Try to stay positive and praise them for what they did right and focus on how they are improving.
- Thank the coaches for their work.
The game’s outcome doesn’t matter; the refs and coaches did their job and gave their best effort. Pay the coaching fees on time. Remember this is where they make their living.
- Be gracious to the winner.
If you know them, make a point to congratulate them. If you don’t, you can still go out of your way to shake a player’s or coach’s hand. Don’t go home and trash talk the opposing team. Or coaches, or refs, or teammates, for that matter.
- Let your kids lose in peace. Stay positive.
Choose words after the loss that won’t stir up frustration or self-recriminations. Empathize instead of critique. Negative attitudes are contagious. As a parent, you have a lot to do with keeping positivity up. The loss may have deeply disappointed your child. Don’t try to diminish his feelings of grief. It’s very real to him. Look for small victories. Find the wins within the losses.
- Remember that it’s just a game.
Of course you’re going to get invested in your child’s sports team and will want them to win, but this isn’t the most important thing in your child’s life. Your child should WANT to play, not feel like they are being forced to.
No one likes to lose. But everyone has to do it now and then, some more than others. Losing is simply part of life. Set the example by showing your kids how it’s done, and hopefully they will follow your lead.
