I usually send coaching tips to my son, Steve during the basketball season. I have prepared this 'tip' first and will send it soon as he prepares for the 2013-14 season. This coaching tip perhaps resonates with non-coaches therefore, I share it in today's blog posting.
"No mother ever gave birth to failure and rare is the father who challenges the mother"...and "If it's animal it will die; if it's mechanical it will break; everything else CHANGES." Parenting has changed and it impacts every occupation that deals with youngsters. I wish not to 'beat a dead horse' but accept this reality: many people perceive the World War II generation of folks as the greatest and yet today's parents shun that generations' parenting style as they reject any notion of firmness. Many of today's 'overprotective' parents shudder at any thought of a 'smack-on-the-butt' approach to curbing bad behavior. Instilling accountability and responsibility traits in today's children is trumped by a larger concern for the child's psyche and 'feelings.' Today's parents subscribe to the modern day gobbledygook parenting-style of 'don't bruise the child's ego/psyche!' To illustrate: My parents 'told' me to come in, put the toys away and take a bath and get ready for bed; never did they pose that expectation in the form of a question, i.e., 'don't you think it's time to get ready for bed?' Come on people, many things 'enter' our lives and we are expected, without a choice, to make adjustments, tolerate and persevere. The sooner the child 'learns' they must function and persist in spite of difficulties and following guidelines they have a leg-up understanding reality and thus are on a road to happiness and success.
The student-athlete who enters middle/high school is a product of overprotective-coddling. Their parents spent exorbitant amounts of money on their kid's clothing and entertainment while making available every possible activity and standing nearby bent on ensuring fair treatment. In many instances, parents covered that perceived 'entitlement' notion by being 'the team's coach.' The only way for the school 'coach' to maintain order and 'teach' sport in today's environment is to create peer-competition-practices that will send strong messages to these soft and tender-skin kids about skill level realities and comparative ranking.
The school mentor should have a mandatory pre-season parent-student/athlete meeting where every aspect of the programs expectations are clearly outlined. This means what coach expects of mommy/daddy and the kid as well as what those folks can expect from the coach and school. Questions are answered. Parents are told that they may telephone during the season with additional questions but those answers will only be forthcoming during a meeting with parents and student athlete at coach's office. One meeting per family per year...no exceptions!! Coaches should not feel above the process of explain what, how and why things are done. After 'one' private meeting, the athlete is eventually asked it he/she wishes to continue as a team member after 'hearing the conversation exchanges. That choice is accepted with the understanding that no more meetings shall happen.
Finally, I will alert my coaching son to the reality that it is about a 50/50 chance that your school administration is weak. You must always be prepared to look for another job. My Alma mater, Illinois State's motto is, 'Gladly would he learn and gladly teach.' I contend that 'gladly' and 'bullshit' mix like oil and water.
No comments:
Post a Comment