Having coached and served as a Director for our local minor hockey association for about 10 years—and coached fast-pitch before that—I’ve spent a lot of time around kids playing sports… and around parents, too. Over the years, I’ve witnessed some surprising behaviour in (too) many occasions, although not often from the kids. This story captures it perfectly:
During a baseball game, a coach called one of his 9-year-old players aside and asked, “Do you know what cooperation is? What it means to be part of a team?” The boy nodded eagerly.
The coach continued, “So, you understand that winning or losing, we do it together, right?” Another nod. “And that, when an ump calls you out, it’s not okay to argue or call him an ass**?” The boy’s expression stayed serious, nodding once more.
“Good,” said the coach. “So when I pull you out of the game to give another kid a turn, it’s not a dumb-a** decision or that the coach is a shit****, right?”
“No, coach,” the boy replied earnestly.
“Great,” said the coach with a wink. “Now, go over there and explain all that to your father.”
In minor sports, it’s often the parents, not the kids, who cause the biggest challenges. Many children genuinely enjoy the game, support their teammates, and are eager to learn about teamwork and fair play. But sometimes, it’s the adults on the sidelines who get caught up in the heat of the moment, taking the fun out of the game with their aggressive behaviour and high expectations.
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I think this is a good lesson that both children and parents can learn from. I think the issue arises when a parent may be extremely competitive and try to live through their child's experiences. Great points.