Do you know how to simply be the parent and let youth sports coaches do their job? This post is an excerpt from my book 11 Habits of Happy and Positive Sports Parents. To get your copy or learn how you can give one to every parent on your child’s team, click here.
Although parents and coaches should be on the same team in youth sports–helping kids grow, learn and have fun in competition–they do not have the same jobs.
The Coach’s Job
- teaching skills
- creating team unity and focusing on the team as a whole
- helping kids see that hard work can be fun
- stretching kids to grow in character
- pushing kids to perform to the best of their ability
- coaching the team to play hard and hopefully win
- communicating to parents (not during practices and games!)e Parent’s Job
The Parent’s Job
On the other hand, the parent’s job is to support his child, the entire team, and the coach, and that’s it. Unfortunately, most parents do not stick to their job description. They blur the lines, step over into the coach’s territory, and take over some of his jobs. You’ve probably seen it:
- Parents that shout and coach from the sidelines
- Parents that insist their children work on skills outside of practice and games
- Parents that compare, complain and disrupt team unity
Parents and Youth Sports Coaches are Partners
Let the coach do his job and you do yours, even if you don’t like him or agree with his strategy. When parents and coaches can partner like this and do what is best for the kids–not what is best for their egos or insecurities–then the real winners of the game are your kids.
Are you struggling to stick to your parenting job description? If so, I believe I can help. As a certified life coach, my job is to help you find answers to areas where you feel stuck. Email me at sportsparents@rcfamilies.com and let’s get started on helping you work with the coach so that your child will grow to be the best he or she can be.