Parents just don't understand!!

[osubrutus]

MORGAN WOOTTEN'S 10 COMMANDMENTS FOR PARENTS

 

1. Make sure your child knows that win or lose, scared or heroic, you love them, appreciate their efforts and are not disappointed in them.

 

2. Try your best to be completely honest about your child's athletic capability, their competitive attitude, their sportsmanship, and their actual skill level.

 

3. Be helpful, but don't coach them on the way to the court or on the way back or at breakfast.

 

4. Teach them to enjoy the thrill of competition. Don't say, "Winning doesn't count," because it does.

 

5. And her this, parents: Try not to relive your athletic life through your child in a way that creates pressure. Don't pressure them becausde of your pride.

 

6. Don't compete with the coach. Remember, in many cases the coach becomes a hero to his or her athletes, a person who can do no wrong.

 

7. Don't compare skill, courage or attitudes of your child with that of other members of the team, at least not in their hearing range.

 

8. You should, also, get to know the coach, so you can be sure his or her philosophy, attitudes, ethics and knowledge are such that you are happy to expose your child to them.

 

9. Always remember that players tend to exaggerate, both when praised and when criticized. Temper your reactions when your children bring home tales of woe or heroics.

 

10. Make a point of understanding courage and the fact that it is relative. Some of us climb mountains, but fear the fight. Some of us fight, but turn to jelly if a bee buzzes nearby. A child must know: Courage is not absence of fear, but rather doing something in spite of fear.

 

 

***Morgan Wootten coaches at DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Maryland. He is one of the nation's all-time winningest coaches. He has won 5 National Championships and is constantly ranked in the USA Today's High School Top 25.

 

 

Just a little something I pass out to my parents every year.

[govolz]

We were all young once, just try and think back about yourself. What made you happiest...Bottom line...it was LOVE.

Go give your kids a big kiss and a hug and tell them that you love them. Do it today. You may not be here tomorrow...

[TheQuestion9]

I agree with most of what I have read especially ptguard, but I have a difficult time reading Parrothead's posts. Sometimes the pot speaks up and says "Oh Kettle, by the way you're black!"

[TheAnswer9]

TheQuestion9---good one my friend. Coming from TheAnswer9. I guess if you have the Q's, I'll have the A's.

[Guest madhandles]

If more parents would read those commandments, it would make life for the players, coaches and parents better.

 

The bottom line is if you don't like the coach you can always transfer, move or quit.

[khopkins]

There are some good comments to remind us all of our responsibilities. I especially appreciate the remarks of Govolz and tiredbbmom. Unconditional love of our children will help them deal with the difficulties they face. They need to know you love and care for them.

 

As for the title of the thread, I disagree with a blanket statement that "parents" don't understand. Maybe "some parents" don't understand, but most of us do. Also, I don't like madhandles analysis: "The bottom line is if you don't like the coach you can always transfer, move or quit." Transfers are not always an option (nor should be) and do not always work out the way you think they will; costs, jobs or a combination typically prevent a move, and quitting is typically the easy way out. Perseverance through difficult times is what will build the character of a person. I am thankful that my parents didn't allow me to quit whenever things got difficult because I have difficulties on the job everyday.

 

We all make mistakes, and most of us will occasionally get caught up in the "heat of the moment" and all of us will typically think our lot in life is harder than others. But when we take a few moments to think about the situation, (or read what others think about a situation), most of us will realize that we are not the other person and don't always know the "whole" situation. And we will hopefully strive to do a better job as parent, coach, referee or player.

 

"The improvement of understanding is for two ends: first, our own increase of knowledge; secondly, to enable us to deliver that knowledge to others." John Locke

 

And that is why I'm thankful for CoachT. It gives me different perceptions, which gives me a better understanding.