Watching keets play sports...

[buffettbride]

Hubby now sits in the stands and ring that COW BELL!!

We need more cow bell

Everything needs more cowbell!!

[tequilatom]

Dave has joined an over 40 softball league.... after not picking up a softball since college days.....

The only concession I made to age was moving from centerfield to left field. The way I look at it, it doesn't matter how old the other players are. If I can't play up to the standard I set for myself, I don't belong on the field.

Pitcher is one position i will not play.......that ball comes at you to fast.........the only position i struggle with is short stop........i can't make the long throws anymore...... i play outfield because i can track down most balls.....but since shoulder surgery my arm is more like Johnny Damons.........hey on one team i catch........players are younger and faster......but they can't hit has good......always swinging for the fence........like Larry if i was going to embaress myself out there i would give it up...........Funny story......i ran a team where one of the players we had was in his 60's ......we were playing this team and the outfield moved in a little.......he hit it over there heads for a home run....he was a very good player....so i guess age doesn't always matter!!

[SchoolGirlHeart]

I'm dreading when Delaney gets old enough to play sports. I know I can't behave when I play sports (Baseball and Hockey) so I can only imagine my behavior when it's her out there. I'm planning on bringing a pencil to chew on for her games.

two words, NYC: DUCT TAPE


Just looking out for you.... so you DON'T need these two words: BAIL MONEY.....

[buffettbride]

I try not to be vocal. I tend to only get vocal (towards my own keet) when he's not paying attention or not trying, and even then, I try to encourage without sounding angry

I try to remember that he's there, first and foremost, to have FUN, not win, or be the team MVP or whatever. If he's having fun, they could lose every game and the season would be successful. Of course having fun gets harder when more emphasis gets put on winning (he's only 7), but to see him happy makes me happy.

That's a lot like me it seems. She's only 8 and had never played (or really been interested) in sports before. She has really grown as a player and I tell her (and myself) that even though the score doesn't show a "win" she's come a long way since the first game and has done so much for her team. It's neat to see her smile out there when she knows she made the "right" play both defensively and offensively.

She might never touch another basketball after this season, but I am soooo proud of her and I hope she is proud of herself.

[Jollymom21]

My keets now being in H.S., I remember being among the mob of parents running up and down the soccer sidelines following the beehive of kids when they were 4 years old!! We were doing lots of encouraging but I'm sure we were also trying to get our kids to perform better than the others.

But after a few years of watching all the other parents/coaches/etc., you realize that it's just a game and the kids are supposed to be having fun, which I doubt some of them are with their parents embarrassing them! All the yelling and screaming doesn't do anyone any good. We all have our moments but if we think about it, two minutes after the game the kids just want to know where the munchkins are!!

Of course in H.S., there seems to be a little more on the line, but now that my kids are there, I still think, "They're just kids." The last thing I say to them before they leave for the field, is "HAVE FUN!"

[Cubbie Bear]

Carie is in the Knights of Columbus Free throw contest tonight. She won it last year. If she doesn't win again, she's grounded

[buffettbride]

GOOOOOOOD LUCK CARIE!!!

WOOOHOOO!!!!

[Cubbie Bear]

In fact in the "State" quarter finals, she was the second best shooter in all the age groups, third grade through High School. Unfortunately the best one was in her age group. She would have won any other bracket Good "life" lesson on that one

[buffettbride]

Man... those "life" lessons...

[NYCPORT]

I'm dreading when Delaney gets old enough to play sports. I know I can't behave when I play sports (Baseball and Hockey) so I can only imagine my behavior when it's her out there. I'm planning on bringing a pencil to chew on for her games.

two words, NYC: DUCT TAPE


Just looking out for you.... so you DON'T need these two words: BAIL MONEY.....

Don't forget she's only three. I've got time to work on my act.

[iuparrothead]

Being the coach is really hard too. I've been chewed out and humiliated by parents that have no clue how much I cared about their daughter... all the while, they just assume I'm playing favorites. That was the hardest part... when I cared equally for every player on my teams, but if I've got to coach to win, I've got to play some girls a few more minutes and I have to discipline some bad attitudes. All the while, it kills me to yell at a player or even give a disapproving look... but it's no good to go soft on them either.

From the coach's standpoint, the coolest parents are the ones that are at every game they can and make sure to support the whole team, not simply their child. My parents went to every single basketball and volleyball game I ever played. They cheered for me and my teammates equally and always supported my coaches. Even though a few of my coaches were kind of jerks, they knew the most important lesson for me was to follow the lead of my coach and the direction they gave the team.

[mings]

Being the coach is really hard too. I've been chewed out and humiliated by parents that have no clue how much I cared about their daughter... all the while, they just assume I'm playing favorites. That was the hardest part... when I cared equally for every player on my teams, but if I've got to coach to win, I've got to play some girls a few more minutes and I have to discipline some bad attitudes. All the while, it kills me to yell at a player or even give a disapproving look... but it's no good to go soft on them either.

From the coach's standpoint, the coolest parents are the ones that are at every game they can and make sure to support the whole team, not simply their child. My parents went to every single basketball and volleyball game I ever played. They cheered for me and my teammates equally and always supported my coaches. Even though a few of my coaches were kind of jerks, they knew the most important lesson for me was to follow the lead of my coach and the direction they gave the team.

so true. I had one set of parents chew me out at the cocktail party for 45 minutes about how their son deserved to be in the top boat and how I was mistreating him. At first I was very polite but as time went on I tired more and more of their points and told them that their son hardly came to practice, didn't compete on any level comparable to the rest of the team, and I've given him every opportunity that I've given every other kid. Those parents make it interesting, but your right, Ann, for all of those parents like the ones I just described, there are a dozen who support all 120 boys whole-heartedly and that makes it such a wonderful experience.

[Elrod]

Any refs or coaches out there with some perspective as well?

I officiated elementary school through high school basketball and umpired baseball up through junior college. I coached junior high football and baseball up through a college summer league. I've seen my share of sports parents - good and bad.

One stands out and is the parent that all others were measured against.

Max's son played on the first football team I coached. He was at every practice and sat on the hood of his car reading the newspaper or doing reports from work - and somehow seeing everything that happened. When practice was over and we had dismissed the team for the day, I always heard him make a positive comment to at least one of the players about something that had happened in practice. At the end of practice he always asked the coaches if there was anything we needed and he made sure that every player had a ride home.

At games, Max had something positive to say about one of our players on every play. My parents attended several games that season and noticed it before I did. Dad said that he could match up players and their parents by listening to them in the bleachers, all except Max - because he cheered for everybody.

Advice: be present and be positive. If you're ever unsure of what to say during a game, just clap and yell "Go (insert team name here)!!!"

As for the bad parents, don't get me started...

[On The Edge]

Just remember that most of the learning takes place on the practice floor, not the game floor. I have coached for 23 years, you name it, I've coached it. BBall is my passion. I have yet to see a "parent coach" that could coach their way out of a paper bag, due to the fact that they are always blinded by the outstanding talent of their own children.


Any coach that is worth a damn gets the most out of their team on the practice floor. Game Day skill is something that comes with time, and therefore, game play is never equal on my teams. Kids that practice hard will eventually have their day, sometimes it is the last game of the season, sometimes it takes till the next season. By the time I have developed my team, I know that I can put any player in at anytime, and they will get the job done that I put them in for. Any good coach knows that your team is only as good as your weakest player. The focus of practice should not be on the best players, but rather developing the weaker less skilled players. Build a deep bench, and you build a team that is tough to beat.

Players and Parents alike have to trust their coach, if you don't trust the coach, pull your kid off the team.

My advice to parents. Sit on the other side of the court, keep your mouth shut, let the coach do the coaching, if you are going to cheer, keep it positive, and support the entire team, not just your child. These are kids, they are tough, let em be kids.

[On The Edge]

Just remember that most of the learning takes place on the practice floor, not the game floor. I have coached for 23 years, you name it, I've coached it. BBall is my passion. I have yet to see a "parent coach" that could coach their way out of a paper bag, due to the fact that they are always blinded by the outstanding talent of their own children.


Any coach that is worth a damn gets the most out of their team on the practice floor. Game Day skill is something that comes with time, and therefore, game play is never equal on my teams. Kids that practice hard will eventually have their day, sometimes it is the last game of the season, sometimes it takes till the next season. By the time I have developed my team, I know that I can put any player in at anytime, and they will get the job done that I put them in for. Any good coach knows that your team is only as good as your weakest player. The focus of practice should not be on the best players, but rather developing the weaker less skilled players. Build a deep bench, and you build a team that is tough to beat.

Players and Parents alike have to trust their coach, if you don't trust the coach, pull your kid off the team.

My advice to parents. Sit on the other side of the court, keep your mouth shut, let the coach do the coaching, if you are going to cheer, keep it positive, and support the entire team, not just your child. These are kids, they are tough, let em be kids.

[Jollymom21]

From the coach's standpoint, the coolest parents are the ones that are at every game they can and make sure to support the whole team, not simply their child. My parents went to every single basketball and volleyball game I ever played. They cheered for me and my teammates equally and always supported my coaches.

My hubbie coached my son's travel bball team for four years. We were lucky that we had a great set of parents who for the most part came to every game and were supportive to all the kids. In addition, we had one set of grandparents that came to every single game. One game their grandson was sick and didn't come but they came to the game anyway to cheer on the other kids! They're great people and were such a positive influence on not just the kids but on the parents also!

[Jollymom21]

Max's son played on the first football team I coached. He was at every practice and sat on the hood of his car reading the newspaper or doing reports from work - and somehow seeing everything that happened. When practice was over and we had dismissed the team for the day, I always heard him make a positive comment to at least one of the players about something that had happened in practice. At the end of practice he always asked the coaches if there was anything we needed and he made sure that every player had a ride home.

At games, Max had something positive to say about one of our players on every play. My parents attended several games that season and noticed it before I did. Dad said that he could match up players and their parents by listening to them in the bleachers, all except Max - because he cheered for everybody.

Sure he wasn't your angel trying to help you out as coach?

Hopefully the other parents besides your own noticed his great behavior and learned something from him!

[buffettbride]

Thanks so much everyone!

After reading all your posts, I think we have a great group of parents on the team. I can hear everyone cheer for all the players. We get so excited when they do well because the beginning of the season was filled with a lot of devastating, blow-out losses. Now they are keeping the games within just a few points, and have taken the lead quite a few times.

[Jollymom21]

Just remember that most of the learning takes place on the practice floor, not the game floor.

Definitely agree that practice is as or more important than the games, esp. when the kids are young and still learning the game. Too often coaches/parents/kids want to blow off practice and just have games, but that's never good for anyone.

I have coached for 23 years, you name it, I've coached it. BBall is my passion. I have yet to see a "parent coach" that could coach their way out of a paper bag, due to the fact that they are always blinded by the outstanding talent of their own children.

On this I take exception to what you said. I often can tell which kid is the coach's by the way he's hardest on his own child (I'm sure partly because he expects so much from him).

When my hubbie coaches bball (also his favorite), there have been games my son gets mad at him because son wants to be the go to guy at the end of the game to win it, and hubbie would say no because everyone deserves to play their fair share or the fact that he just wasn't the right player for the moment or the play he wanted to execute.

We keep saying my hubbie missed his calling and should have been a gym teacher so he had the time to coach more. He loves coaching the middle school age as they're becoming more coordinated and their understanding of the game and plays is more developed. (They actually get it!)

[Jollymom21]

Thanks so much everyone!

After reading all your posts, I think we have a great group of parents on the team. I can hear everyone cheer for all the players. We get so excited when they do well because the beginning of the season was filled with a lot of devastating, blow-out losses. Now they are keeping the games within just a few points, and have taken the lead quite a few times.

Good luck to you and your daughter. Sounds like she has a good coach who had developed the team nicely over the course of the season. Bball's a great team sport for kids. I hope she's gotten enough positive feedback and feels good about all she's accomplished that she wants to play again next year. Sounds like she's a good little player!! Have fun!