As most schools are now back in session (and on the heels of the Little League World Series), columnist Dan Shanoff on ESPNW.com offers some back to school tips for families who have student-athletes returning to the court or the field this fall.
The article, “10 back-to-school tips for sports parents,” offers obvious and not-so-obvious suggestions to help families and their students enjoy games and activities together. Among the reminders are:
1) Remember the first rule of sports parenting: Your kid isn’t LeBron James. Rec league and even travel-league play should be about working hard, listening to coaches, being a good teammate and having fun.
2) Encourage your kid to play more than one sport. Coaches, and even parents, can argue the one-sport specialist advantages all day, and there are those players who can play the same sport 12 months out of the year and not get bored or burnt out. But, according to the article, “all meaningful evidence shows that even if your kid loves one sport more than any other, kids are still better off playing multiple sports.”
3) Find league options that work for you. We’ve talked about the cost of travel leagues before, but the column reminds us that “There are a gazillion ways for your kid to participate in an organized team or league. Your priority should be to encourage kids to do something active.”
4) Unless you’re the coach, you’re not the coach. Speaks for itself.
5) If you’re not your kid’s team’s volunteer parent coach, ask how you can help the person who is. It can be time on the field, helping with stats, photos or post-game snacks, anything simple that can make the coach’s job easier. Your efforts will be greatly appreciated.
Shanoff’s bottom line is that school sports should be fun for the athlete and the family alike. The students get to play a sport they enjoy, they stay active and they learn valuable life skills. The families get the thrill of watching their kids compete, share the pride when they win and share the disappointment when they lose. All great lessons.
The entire article can be found at http://espnw.ly/xcFTDmt4
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