PARENTS AND ATHLETICS

The number one priority of parents should be that their son have POSITIVE AND PRODUCTIVE ATHLETIC EXPEREINCES. The responsibilities of parents seem to fall into two distinct areas: support and understanding. When parents lose sight of these prime concerns, problems can develop

SUPPORT

Basic Support: Parents should do the best they can to help their son in the following areas:

1. Nutrition - Help them eat right to perform at their best.
2. Proper Rest - Sleep is essential and often a neglected part of an athlete's training/competition schedule.
3. Transportation - Provide or help arrange for rides to and from practices, games, etc.
4. Spending Money - If at all possible help your son with expenses.school, social, etc.
5. Time Management - Family, school, athletic, social and work responsibilities could become too much for a young athlete. Guidance in this area helps your son remain focused on his personal goals

Support By Caring: There are many ways for parents to show their son that they are truly concerned about them:

1. Always keep your son's best interest in the forefront.
2. Always be aware of your son's needs, feelings, and concerns.
3. Honestly assess your son's ability or potential and work to instill true confidence.
4. Always try to be interested in the progress and improvement of your son's athletic ability.
5. Attend as many of their games as possible. Obviously parents need to be there to support your son. They also need to be there to support the team.

UNDERSTANDING

1. Parents need to "understand" the role of interscholastic athletics.
1. Fun
2. Camaraderie
3. Fitness/Exercise
4. Life long lessons
1. Self-discipline
2. Hard work and improvement
3. Meeting challenges
4. The value and power of teamwork
5. Stress management
6. Competitive sportsmanship
2. Parents need to understand the various Point of View (P.O.V.) of all involved (with the team).
1. The P.O.V. of their son
2. Their own P.O.V.
3. The P.O.V. of the other athletes and their parents
4. The P.O.V. of the coach

Note: Each group has a unique point of view.a different perspective of situations. Also, each group has its own role and responsibilities with respect to athletics.

3. Parents need to "understand" how to motivate their son to achieve their full potential.
1. Help to set realistic, attainable goals.
2. Be aware of the kinds of things that have positive (and negative) effects on the athlete and the team.
4. Parents need to "understand" the concept of bring PART OF A TEAM:
1. The fragile nature of a team and its members (team chemistry)
2. Team attitudes - the idea that there is no place on a team for selfish attitudes.
3. Team success is based on the group effort. Individual achievements are fine as long as the team remains the number one priority.
5. Parents need to understand what constitutes acceptable or reasonable behavior (and what does not).
1. What actions/behaviors by parents are in the best interest of their son.
2. What avenues/options are open to parents when they are concerned with the progress of their son

PROBLEMS

1. Loud, obnoxious, unsportsmanlike behavior. Such actions are an embarrassment to the parents, their son, the school and to the community and are unnecessary and not acceptable.
2. Neglect:
3. Failure of the parents to support the basic needs of their son (food, sleep, etc.)
4. Lack of support in other areas.not becoming involved at all.showing no concern, sympathy, or "understanding" for their son.
5. Becoming overly critical:
6. Of their son
7. Of the team or the players on the team
8. Of the coach
9. Of the referees or the game officials (griping and complaining are contagious, negative, behaviors which rarely bring about positive change!)
10. "Overstepping" or going too far - Parents simply are not responsible for:
11. Game strategies
12. Program philosophy
13. Rating or berating of other players
14. Evaluation of players, coaches, programs or officials

COACH SMITH IS AVAILABLE TO DISCUSS INDIVIDUAL ATHLETE'S SOCIAL LIFE, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, FOOTBALL POSITION AND PLAYING TIME WITH A PLAYER'S PARENTS. CONVERSATIONS WILL FOCUS ON THAT PARTICULAR PARENT'S SON ONLY, DISCUSSING WAYS THE PLAYER CAN IMPROVE TO HELP THE TEAM. THE PROGRAM WILL ALWAYS DO WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TEAM.