Silo Parents: No Community in Youth Sports
People desire connection to something bigger. In pursuit of those connections, people too often kill any chance they might have had at the authentic community they crave.
Growing Motivated Children Starts with Relationship
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 […]
PARENTS: When to Encourage Your Kids to Author Their Own Sports Story
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 […]
To Train or To Play: That is the Question
“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 […]
When the Final Whistle Blows
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 […]
My Kid’s Not Playing, Why Go to the Game?
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 of Senior Athletes: Embrace It All
So far, the most emotionally intense time of my life revolved around senior year for our firstborn. Given that I had experienced a few overwhelming moments in my life up to that point, it does say something that our kid’s senior year affected me as much as it did. (I’m […]
For Sports Parents Who Want to Sit Alone: It’s Okay
I couldn’t do it. About ten minutes into my daughter’s soccer game this past weekend, I had to move myself down the sideline and as far out of earshot of the other parents as I could. I’m not sure if there was a specific thing yelled, but the […]
The Team Adult Playbook 