Being A Sports Parent ...

Being a sports parent is hard.

'Should I push her more, or am I pushing too hard?'

'Are we doing too much, or are we not doing enough?'

'Are we having enough fun, or are we having too much fun?'

'Are we competing, or are we just participating?'

There should be a manual for this, but there isn't. Keep the lines of communication open. Know what your kids think about themselves and what they think about their sports.

Find middle ground and stability. Sometimes they need to be pushed harder, sometimes they need to be loved more. Sometimes they need more skills practice, sometimes they need more games and competition, sometimes they just need a break.

Know what they want to get out of being an athlete. Help them set goals and create a plan on how to help them reach their goals. Hold them accountable and teach them how to hold themselves accountable.

Teach them how to be great teammates. Teach them how to be great people. Teach them how to compete.

Above all, just love and enjoy them, and let them know how much you love and enjoy them. Tell them that you love watching them play. Tell them that watching them play is one of your favorite things. Create and live out the memories that you want to keep.

Sooner than later, they will be retired athletes like us, and all we will be left with is the memories. What they will be left with is the result of how we treated them. How we treat them will stick with them forever.