What Makes A Nightmare Sports Parent

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knapplc

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What Makes A Nightmare Sports Parent -- And What Makes A Great One
Hundreds of college athletes were asked to think back: "What is your worst memory from playing youth and high school sports?"

Their overwhelming response: "The ride home from games with my parents."

The informal survey lasted three decades, initiated by two former longtime coaches who over time became staunch advocates for the player, for the adolescent, for the child. Bruce E. Brown and Rob Miller of Proactive Coaching LLC are devoted to helping adults avoid becoming a nightmare sports parent, speaking at colleges, high schools and youth leagues to more than a million athletes, coaches and parents in the last 12 years.

Those same college athletes were asked what their parents said that made them feel great, that amplified their joy during and after a ballgame.

Their overwhelming response: "I love to watch you play."
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This is a great article for any parents with kids playing youth sports. Some really easy traps to fall into in this article.

 
Great link. Our oldest is still a year or two away from getting involved with any youth sports, but this is a topic that my wife and I have already been discussing. We were both active with multiple sports as young people, and want to encourage our daughters to do the same while desperately trying to avoid being "that parent."

 
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I learned early when I tried to give my son advice after a game or tell him what he could do differently he would get frustrated...sometimes mad...at me and shut down. So I just quit saying anything. If he brings up a certain play and how he did well or screwed up, we'll discuss. Other than that, I try not to say a word. I guess he'll learn to figure this stuff out on his own.

 
As a father of three boys, 2 that played through High School and one off to do his sport in college next fall, its tough. There is no handbook on how to treat the situation. I remember the first rides home were difficult. What do you say to a 6,7,8 year old about the game or their meet. You learn quickly not to treat it like a coach rehashing the game if they lost but heaping praise if they won. No matter what we do, as fathers, we will live through our children, win or lose. There were a lot of quiet rides and Bronco Burgers.

 
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