#8 Focus on Better football Parenting:
Commit to reading three sports parenting books before summer football camp. Isolate three areas you need to improve upon before next season. Some ideas might include general game knowledge; bleacher behavior; safety & concussion management; co-parenting with your ex; or youth sports psychology. Not sure where to start? Ask your student-athlete what went well and not so well last season. Research topics online and then reserve those books for free through your public library system. Education doesn’t get cheaper than that. Little known fact – your library can bring in almost any book nationwide from other public library systems. So if there is a book you want, chances are your local library can bring it in for you. It’s free education…so be patient with delivery times.
These are three books I always recommend for sports parents: Nurture Shock, Po Bronson; Top Dog, the Science of Winning and Losing, Po Bronson; and Getting to Yes, Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In, Roger Fisher. Also consider joining USA Football, (www.usafootball.com) the national governing body of youth football – a great resource for game knowledge and safety tips.
And remember the three key roles – players play, coaches coach, and parents provide support. You don’t need to be an expert on reading defensive coverages or wide receiver tree routes. Your job is to help your student-athlete learn how to lead, follow, win, lose, commit, and how to get back up for the seventh time after getting knocked on their backside again, again and again.
