Thanks to over competitive and anxious parents, youth basketball often isn’t full of joy. Why not? So what are a few things we (as parents and coaches) do to suck the joy out of it:
- We try to coach from the sideline. (Kids have enough to concentrate on during the game, listening to your “excellent input” isn’t going to help them with their experience.)
- We yell at the refs. (The refs work hard – usually – to make the game even possible. Don’t waste your energy on trying to help them. 🙂 And we should require our kids to ‘ignore’ them.)
- As parents we question the coach. Our kids are trying to show respect to the coach. If we complain about them the entire drive home, the kids will learn to complain about the coach also.)
- Commenting and complaining about your child’s teammates. (See #3 … respecting teammates is essential also.)
- Making the ride-home miserable. (Enjoy the moment with your kids. Don’t try to make it a teachable moment.)
Most parents are guilty of one or more of these from time to time. As parents we can set the tone. Let’s do it.
Read a more detailed article here:Â http://changingthegameproject.com/how-adults-take-the-joy-out-of-sports
Doug DeVries has been working in youth basketball for over 25 years. He has a passion to see sports in balance in life, for kids to thrive in sports, and for parents to enjoy the entire process.