OT: Parents: Let the Coaches Coach by Jay Paterno

[LionJim]

Like most kids of the 50s and 60s...I grew up surrounded by heroes. My Dad was one of them. I only wish I recognized it back then. I had an uncle who left one leg on the Ludendorf Bridge (at Remagen). He was only 19. Every winter my Dad's hands turned black, cracked and bled (after effects of frostbite from the Ardennes). Those guys had more dignity than to berate sport officials or coaches.

I freaking love your last line.

 

[razpsu]

I’ve watched my kids on teams with some terrible coaching. I’ve never once voiced my complaint because I was not willing to do the job myself.
That said, I have certainly worked with them at home to correct some of the things their coaches have taught them. Travel ball where you have to pay a lot of money for them makes it a little different but my feelings were still the same for those teams.

You know I ran into soMething you said coaching a kid. I was coaching a student something and instead of what they were taught by a parent, there personal coach had taught them to play another way. I said well our philosophy on this team is to do it this way. They didn’t really change from there personal coach and it cost them there next match. They were a senior at that point and It was to late for them to learn a new or different way. I had not ran into that before but it was very interesting. These days Many travel teams etc have different coaches and instructors and some of them are there parents.

 

[Ivan Putski]

No. Not really. Who is jay to give advice.

All he does is state the obvious.

 

[Ivan Putski]

As one prominent coach once told me, "the only thing I can guarantee a kid (besides a good education) is an opportunity. "

Of course there are going to be politics (those from the business side everywhere). If a kid has worked hard and put the time in but feels they are not getting their due, wait till they see how the corporate world works when he/she can't make a living off sports.