I often wonder what day of the week my dad gave up on his life. He simply stopped caring, stopped trying, and eventually checked out entirely. Contemplating his fall from grace as a singular day event is how I try to wrap my head around something that is […]
Seven years after I interviewed sixty people about their sports parenting experiences, I interviewed thirty of them again. One woman would not let me conduct a follow-up interview about her story. Out of respect for her privacy, I will call her Sharon. In declining my invitation to chat […]
“Mom, I’m bored!” “Why don’t you just go outside and _____________?” I know how my parents filled in that blank. If you were raised in the 70’s, 80’s, or early 90’s, your parents probably filled in that blank the same way. The instructions for filling empty spaces of […]
There are no happy endings. Endings are the saddest part, So just give me a happy middle And a very happy start. -Shel Silverstein “He’s done,” the distraught […]
I was coaching an away game for a college team one Saturday afternoon when a fanbase showed up to root for our team’s manager. Yes, the manager. Eight people huddled on the aluminum bleacher bench cheering her on. They had a sign and chanted cheers like “Sally, […]
Parents are the most influential adults in an athlete’s life. Let me say that again. PARENTS are the most influential adults in an athlete’s life. The better the relationship is between athletes and their parents, the better the experience is for everyone. Thankfully, building the parent/athlete relationship is not […]
The Team Adult Playbook 