Leadership Tips
....a valuable message!
by Chad Jones
May 29, 2007
Leadership Tips
- Make sure your athlete knows-win, lose, scared or heroic-you love him or her, appreciate their effort and you are not disappointed in them.
- Try your best to be completely honest about your athlete's athletic capability, competitive attitude, sportsmanship and skill level.
- Be helpful, but don't "coach" on the way to or from the track, diamond, court, or field.
- Teach your athlete to enjoy the thrill of competition, of "being out there" and working to improve both attitude and skill.
- Try not to relive your athletic life through your athlete. The child is an extension of you, but let the athlete take his or her own voyage of discovery into the world of sports.
- Don't compete with the coach. It is hard for a father or mother who has had some sports experience, but the athlete is learning to deal with the discipline, criticism and regulation of someone other than his or her parents.
- Don't compare the skill, courage, or attitudes of your athlete with that of other members of the team. Always strive to provide fair and honest counsel to the child.
- Always remember that some children exaggerate, both when praised and criticized. Temper your reactions to tales of woe and heroics.
- Make a point of understanding courage and the fact that it is relative. Convey to the athlete that courage does not mean the absence of fear, but courage is doing something in spite of fear or discomfort.
- Every player on a team plays a role in the success of the team.
