An important message for parents and coaches:
Long after the bats and balls have been put away,
The cheers have faded, and the tears have dried,
The skates have started collecting dust in the attic
And the basketball has lost all it’s air,
Your child-athlete, now fully grown with his/her own family, will still be your child, your son or daughter!
What kind of relationship will you have with them and your future grandchildren now that the storms of youth sports have long since passed?
As parents, we desperately want our kids to be happy and succeed,
And as a result, we get so caught up in the intensity of the moment, of a game, of a loss,
Wanting only to be helpful, we inadvertently say and do things to our kids that are hurtful,
We lose our perspective, and let our own frustrations and fears guide our tongues,
And forget that that little boy in tears in the back seat who made the final out is still our son,
He wants nothing more than to make you happy,
She only wants to make you proud,
He didn’t lose the race on purpose,
She didn’t consciously decide to choke away the match,
She’s not deliberately making herself too afraid to tumble backwards!
Hold your child always the way you did when they were first born,
With awe in your eyes and unconditional love in your heart,
When athletic or academic performance was a non-issue,
And love and pride was something you felt just because they were yours.
