To Child Athletes & Parents, Part 1

This will be a 2 part post to both the child athlete and their parents!

Part 1: Dear Child Athlete

Dear Child Athlete,

I know how excited you get when it’s time for practice, games, etc.  It’s so much fun to be out doing something with your friends!  You have no idea how lucky you are to get to participate in the sports and activities that you do!  There are a few things that I’d like you to keep in mind while you play and participate!

•  It’s Just a Game! – Remember, no matter what anyone says, it really just is a game.  It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, hit the ball or don’t, pitch a no hitter, set a record, or come in last!  Your future will not be affected by the outcome of this game or activity, I PROMISE!
• Listen & Learn – organized activities and sports are a great time to learn!  I know what you’re thinking “learning is for school”, but that couldn’t be further than the truth.  We all learn valuable skills & lessons from participating in sports & activities.  Listen to your coaches, think about what they tell you, be a good teammate, and a fair and honest competitor.  You will learn how to take criticism, praise, and how to get along with others!  Those skills will take you so much further in life than knowing how to pitch a curve ball or make the perfect tackle!
• Do Your Best – yup, like I said, it’s just a game, but you should put your best foot forward and do your best!  That goes for anything in life!  No matter what you do, do it with pride, passion, and to the best of your ability!  If running that 200M dash in 1 minute is the best to your ability, GREAT!  If standing in the batters box and not flinching, SUPER!  If hitting a home run is your sweet spot, DO IT!  Whatever your best is, do it and do it always!  Having passion and drive will get you further in life than any type of pitch!
• Have FUN –   You are a child!  Please remember that!  You only have one job right now and that is to be a kid!  I don’t care if your 7 or 17, you’re still a kid!  You don’t have to live out your parents aspirations through your sport or activity.  You need to have fun, learn, and enjoy being a kid.  If something isn’t fun anymore, don’t do it!  Life is too short to be miserable in your extra curricular activities, but find something that makes you happy!  If baseball makes you happy, PLAY!  If working a summer job makes you happy, WORK AWAY!  If learning how to play the tuned bayonets is your mojo, GO FOR IT!  Have fun, enjoy!  (Trust me, there will be plenty of things in life you will have do that HAVING to play soccer even though you hate it, that isn’t worth it!)

I hope you all know how much your parents love you and support you!  Enjoy what you do and do your best!

Love,

An Adult