The art of coaching can present numerous challenges. When coaching your own child’s sports teams, the activity can become more difficult. That said, adhering to the following suggestions might make the task an easier endeavor.
Listen
Granted, coaching requires a significant amount of lecturing and instruction. However, young people also desire to be heard. Therefore, good coaches will listen and allow their children to voice their concerns, offer suggestions, and simply ask questions.
Maintain An Enjoyable Environment
Children’s sports should always be fun first. Coaches are strongly cautioned to not turn the game into a chore or become so boring that the youths in question lose interest. This is especially important when coaching your own child; your child should not dreading coming to practice because of you.
Do Not Try To Rekindle Past Or Missing Glory
Parents who coach their own children’s sports teams are called upon to remember that it is their children who are creating memories and not themselves. Adults who once played the sport in question or are pushing their children as a means of recapturing their youth should stop and reevaluate their motives.
Place All Players On The Same Plane
Though viewing your own child through an objective lens might be difficult, engaging in such action must be done for the child’s sake. Parent coaches are encouraged to not merely focus on their child or demonstrate unfair bias by giving them extra playing time. Successful coaches, especially at the youth sports level, will keep the entire team unit on the same plane.
Set Guidelines
While playing the game should be fun, playing a sport and being part of a team is still a responsibility. Therefore, parent coaches should set guidelines such as practice schedules. They should also emphasize the importance of balancing school work and other social activities. Moreover, these guidelines should be established prior to the first game. Ergo, both parent and child understands what will be expected of them.
Retain The Services Of Capable Assistants
Good coaches recognize the need to utilize the services of capable assistants. Parent coaches are encouraged to seek the help of individuals who possess experienced coaching youth sports, have a solid knowledge of the game in question, and are people the head coach can lean on and be delegated specific responsibilities. Having assistants can also help parent coaches limit the effects of their own unintentional biases toward their children.