One of the best ways to show kids that you care about them is through discipline. Part of the responsibility of parents, coaches, teachers, etc, is to hold kids accountable. The goal of discipline is to foster change for the better. Lifelong growth is achieved through discipline!
When your coaching staff corrects you during practice & games, lock in, listen with your eyes & ears, welcome their constructive criticism & process what they are saying. Learn & grow as a result! That same staff understands & believes in your potential even more than you know!
Start 2024 right. If you are going to quit something, quit:
Complaining
Blaming others
Taking shortcuts
Procrastinating
Being afraid to fail
Doubting yourself
Unhealthy habits
Focusing on the negatives
Living in your comfort zone
Saying I can’t/won’t/don’t
Comparing
Giving up
Don’t allow players who come out of a game & stomp down to the end of the bench like they just lost their puppy. They should stay alert & engaged & encourage teammates. It’s not an individual activity. They play a team game. Team culture is more important than individual success!
Every team has a best player. A great team’s best player is also their hardest worker. The best player has the extra responsibility as a leader to show others how to prepare & work each day. People don’t follow talent. People follow grit & the consistent habits of excellence!
As a parent of two college athletes and a coach of 33 yrs this is some of the greatest advice I have ever heard. @PVTigersLax@AD_Goldberg @PutnamValleyAD @PeekskillDevils
Parents: Teach kids that their relationship with their coach is THEIR relationship. They have to take the initiative to work out issues instead of depending on you to do it. Don’t intervene on their behalf unless it’s absolutely necessary. That kind of independence is invaluable!
Before you say you’ll do it, remember: commitments are pledges, not maybes. When you become a member of a team, you commit yourself to every practice, workout, game & adversity. It’s nothing more than your coaches & teammates expect & deserve. Nothing means more than your word!