Having taught youth for a great number of years, I have encountered a great number of skill levels in kids. A few of my students have gone on to play major league baseball and many were cut from their team. No matter their skill level, there is one sentiment that I try to leave with them – “I believe in you and I will be pulling for you.” That is one of the most important things that adults, and mainly parents, should say to their kids when they go out to play sports. Is it giving false optimism? No, because that doesn’t change my wanting to let them know that, win or lose, you are on their side. When they don’t play well – it is easy to follow up with, “Hey, it wasn’t your day” or “I know you will get them the next time” or ”Hang in there, you did your best.” This intimates to them that you still believe in them even if they failed.  Their self esteem is still enhanced even when they get cut from the team.  

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

I Believe in You & I Will Be Pulling for You – Positive Coaching

Positive parenting posts:

1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – O Optimism – One of my favorite words and concepts that...
2. Are the Athletes Listening? Positive Coaching Image via Wikipedia      I work with baseball and...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – U Understanding - ”I understand that just because a skill is easy...
4. ABC”s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – Z ZEAL – Finally made it to the end of the...
5. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – P Patience & Perspective Now we are talking – there are...

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I have been keeping up with Luann on her training for fun blog – even though I am a guy, of course – but recognize the importance of what she believes in. Parents, in my opinion, should not miss out on doing these type things when their kids are young – otherwise, parents often look back when their kids are teenagers and wonder why they and their kids have nothing in common or why their kids turn to their peers for advice more than they turn to mom and dad. Here is a review of my book that she did but be sure and check out all her writing.
http://www.trainingforfun.com/book-review-raising-an-athlete-by-jack-perconte/
See more at www.trainingforfun.com

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Training for Fun – Great Blog for Moms

Positive parenting posts:

1. It’s All About “Perspective” – Parenting Advice From Jack’s blog at the Press Enterprise – Southern California...
2. Parenting Practice for Sports Parents Image by bowbrick via Flickr Good article at http://www.zikkir.com/index/109247 -...
3. Youth Coaches Training Image by Brian Sawyer via Flickr If you are...
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Burnout – Parenting Advice   Burnout – Another common word when talking about yout...

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Travel Ball Conundrum

Whether a child should play travel ball in a particular sport or not and at what age to begin playing is often a tough call for parents. In my latest book Raising an Athlete, I spend a whole chapter discussing this dilemma. There are four key things that can help determine when a kid should play travel ball. The importance of each factor is a little different for each family based on their particular situation.
1. The child’s interest level, not just the parents interest.
2. The coach they would play for – good caoches are priceless for a players life and sport development.
3. The player’s skill level – putting a player in a level they are not ready for is the quickest way to have them want to discontinue playing.
4. Time commitment – meeting the demands of much more playing can be tough to balance while having kids stay involved in other activities, including non-sport related ones.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

The Travel Ball Conundrum

Positive parenting posts:

1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Coaching Philosophy   Sports Coaching Philosophy Coaching Philosophy     It is important...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – L Love of the Game – Love is the first...
3. Love of Sport Image via Wikipedia I often encounter kids that play...
4. Positive Parenting in Sports – New Year’s Resolutions Following are a few new year’s resolutions for parents for...
5. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – A & B Attention – Getting the attention of players can be difiicult....

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I often encounter kids that play baseball because their parents want them to. I can tell their heart is not in it and are only playing to please their parent. This is unfortunate at times, especially when the parent gets upset with the childs attitude. The problem is that parents may have waited too long to help the child develop a serious interest in that activity.
There is a reason children of professional and Olympic athletes follow in their parents footsteps. Kids of pro athletes grow up around the fields and locker rooms of theit sports playing parents. The point is that it is the personal experiences of being there that develops a love for the sport. It didn’t come from the kids watching the sport on TV or from playing the video game of the sport.

     You never know for sure when a kid develops a love for something but it can be sparked by a very simple event. I believe I can trace my son’s  love of baseball to age 3, when he hopped in a battting cage at my sports academy and was able to hit the ball from the pitching machine.
     Parents that want their kids to develop a love for a particular sport should attend games of that sport with their child from a young age. Seeing and feeling the electric and fun atmosphere of physically being at the games as often as possible may create the spark that develops the love of sport in the child. Of course, this does not have to be a professional game, but even a high school, college or sibling game of the sport. You never know when the spark will develop in your child and it cannot be forced on them later in life.

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• The Greatness Of Sports (bleacherreport.com)

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Love of Sport

Positive parenting posts:

1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – L Love of the Game – Love is the first...
2. Creating Enthusiasm in Athletes Image by Getty Images via Daylife A great way...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – F Fundamentals     If you have been following my writings over...
4. ABC,s of Positive Parenting in Sports – I Inspiration -  This is an obvious word that initially comes to...
5. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – P Patience & Perspective Now we are talking – there are...

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Over the years, one of the most trying situations I encounter as a youth coach is dealing with the “Know it All Player.” More often than not this player tends to be a young teenager who is not afraid to be bold and let me know  that his way is better than my way. It doesn’t seem to matter that I played major league baseball or that I have been teaching the game for over 20 years, this “know it all” player believes one of three things: 1. He is performing the skill correctly even if I see he isn’t 2. His way is better and how dare I try to tell him otherwise or 3. Simply, I don’t know what I am talking about.
    What can a coach do in this situation? What I have done is detach emotionally – what this means is that I have found it does not help to yell, plead or try to convince this player otherwise but that doesn’t mean that I stop teaching. In my matter of fact voice I continue to teach what I know is correct in a very unemotional manner. This tells the player that I haven’t given up on him, which would be the normal inclination, but also that I am not investing all my energy in someone that wants to think they “know it all.”
    Sometimes, I am amazed that over time, this player begins to come around and begins to listen and try some of my suggestions.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Positive Coaching – Check Ego in at the Door

Positive parenting posts:

1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – V Parenting Advice Variety,Victory,Voice,View - There is no one word...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – J & K Justify – Not a lot of words beginning with this...
3. I Believe in You & I Will Be Pulling for You – Positive Coaching Image by Development Works Photos via Flickr Having taught...
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – T   Trust - The obvious word that comes to the...
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    I have received this comment many times from parents over the years, “Would you make him a major leaguer.” I always respond with “only he can do that, but I will try to instill the correct fundamentals and impress upon him the importance of a great work ethic.” To avoid having regrets later and to reach one’s potential, a great work ethic is mandatory in sports and life. With that in mind, follwing are some of the statements that I often repeat to my students:
1. It is not the fast one out that wins in the long run but the steady methodical athlete who continually works at their skills.
2. An athlete can not always control the outcome but they can control their amount of effort and preparation, which usually helps determine the outcome
3. Keep positive images in your mind – think about that great  play you made and forget your mistakes and losses
4.  Everyone has the will to win – the winners are those that have the will to prepare to win. (Qoute is from some famous person who I am not sure)

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Sports Parenting Tips – Developing a Good Work Ethic

Positive parenting posts:

1. Raising an Athlete – Book Excerpt      Another common concern parents have is that their child...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – S Success – The old saying “nothing succeeds like success” does...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – U Understanding - ”I understand that just because a skill is easy...
4. Developing Coachable Players Image by Getty Images via Daylife Often when working with...
5. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – O Optimism – One of my favorite words and concepts that...

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A few posts back I wrote about always being on the lookout for little inspirational quotes to have ready to say to athletes. Words are great but not as good as actions, of course. With that in mind, here are the three key ways to motivate athletes:

1. Attention – showing legitimate interest in activities that kids are involved with provides inspiration. Attending games, asking questions, practicing with, showing enthusiasm and providing financial support are all means of showing kids that you are interested in the same things that they are.
2.  Approval – positive words, well timed smiles, recognizing little improvements and effort help kids feel like a success and are inspiring.

      3.  Knowledge – providing players with fundamental knowledge and strategic know-how inspires confidence in athletes.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

How to Motivate Youth in Sports – Positive Parenting Actions

Positive parenting posts:

1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Burnout – Parenting Advice   Burnout – Another common word when talking about yout...
2. ABC,s of Positive Parenting in Sports – I Inspiration -  This is an obvious word that initially comes to...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – H   Hope – This is one of my favorite concepts...
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting – M   Motivation – The first word that comes to mind...
5. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – J & K Justify – Not a lot of words beginning with this...

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It is very common for kids to dislike their coach for what ever reasons. Sometimes kids have a legitimate gripe but parents should not allow kids to trash talk their coach. Kids should be brought up to respect other adults as long as those coaches are not abusive in any way. It is important that parents inform kids that their coach is volunteering their time and have good intentions, even if the coach is not great at communicating or when the coach is short of knowledge of the sport. When kids get bad coaches, parents should use the situation as a good teaching moment and look for any possible alternatives for their kids, but still should not let their kids bad-mouth their coach. Of course, this does not mean that parents should not listen to their kids concerns and help their kids get through the season as smoothly as possible. 

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Don’t Allow Coach Trashing

Positive parenting posts:

1. Developing Coachable Players Image by Getty Images via Daylife Often when working with...
2. Positive Parenting in Sports – When to Volunteer There are a number of considerations adults should take into...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – A & B Attention – Getting the attention of players can be difiicult....
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Coaching Philosophy   Sports Coaching Philosophy Coaching Philosophy     It is important...
5. Positive Coaching – Check Ego in at the Door Image by melissajonas via Flickr Over the years, one...

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Previously, I had written about my favorite word when talking to athletes was “we.” It gives off the feeling to youth that all (parents, athletes and players) are in it together and that the athlete does not have to figure it out or go it alone on their journey to be as good as they can be. That brings me to my least favorite word that people use sometimes when speaking to athletes - embarrass. “You embarrassed me out there” or “that was embarrassing the way you played” or “You should be embarrassed with that performance.”  All of those statements only serve to demean athletes and give the impression that the athlete is playing for the “sayer” of the statement. Kids should be encouraged to play for themselves, the team and for the love and fun of sport, not necessarily to please their parents or coaches. Of course, the by product of parents and coaches who are encourraging and positive is that players also play to please the adults too. In this way, all benefit and the word embarrass will not be part of youth sports. 

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

One Word Never to Use with Young Athletes – Keys to Successful Parenting

Positive parenting posts:

1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – L Love of the Game – Love is the first...
2. My Favorite Positive Parenting Word? Image via Wikipedia by Former Major Leaguer Jack Perconte...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – N Negativity – First word that comes to mind when I...
4. Creating Enthusiasm in Athletes Image by Getty Images via Daylife A great way...
5. Positive Parenting in Sports – When to Volunteer There are a number of considerations adults should take into...

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Coachable Players

Often when working with athletes I will sense a reluctance in some to try what I suggest. They may even blurt out, “My dad told me to do it another way,” or “My coach told me to do this” or even “My friend says this works for him.” I usually respond with “Give this way a try and we will find what works best.” Along the same lines, parents often ask what I recommend when two different coaches are teaching two different things. I tell them to tell their son or daughter that, ”Everything is worth a try so try what each coach suggests and go with what works. Have your child nod in agreement even if they know it is different from what another coach is teaching.” The point of this post is that athletes should not get in the habit of not listening to or trying what each coach suggests. That would be a great way of getting on the bad side of a coach and/or getting labeled as an uncoachable player. Coaches like to think they have the answers and that they know more than the player’s parents.  If players act like the coach is not correct, it definitely gives coaches a bad impression of that player. This often leads to bad consequences for these players resulting in a) the coach proceeds to ignore the player from then on b) it affects the player’s playing time c) the player gets cut from the team or doesn’t make the team. This situation is a great teaching moment for parents and gives your son or daughter the best chance of keeping a “coachable player” reputation, which is important for players looking to advance into high school baseball or beyond.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Developing Coachable Players

Positive parenting posts:

1. Sports Parenting Tips – Developing a Good Work Ethic Image by charissa1066 via Flickr     I have received...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Coaching Philosophy   Sports Coaching Philosophy Coaching Philosophy     It is important...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – P Patience & Perspective Now we are talking – there are...
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – L Love of the Game – Love is the first...
5. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – A & B Attention – Getting the attention of players can be difiicult....

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     I work with baseball and softball palyers all the time because that is what I do for a living. Inevitably, when I begin talking to a group of players, many of them will immediately look elsewhere than at me. Is that a little annoying? Yes, but the thing is I’ve realized that it does not mean that the players who look away are the ones who are not paying attention. Some kids listen better when they are not looking at the speaker. So, I have learned to live with the fact that some kids will not be looking at me when giving a talk. What I have also learned to do is to ask questions after talking to see who is listening and to reinforce the spoken material.
    The problem is that not looking at the speaker is considered a sign of disrespect by many coaches. Players who are not looking at the coach, even if they are listening, are at a disadvantage for making the team or for being on the good side of the coach. WIth that in mind, parents should encourage kids to look at the coach when they are speaking as often as possible so they have equal opportunuties as the players who are looking at the coach. Of course, all players should be encouraged to listen and try the things that coaches suggest. 

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Are the Athletes Listening? Positive Coaching

Positive parenting posts:

1. One Word Never to Use with Young Athletes – Keys to Successful Parenting Image by thejesse via Flickr Previously, I had written...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – T   Trust - The obvious word that comes to the...
3. I Believe in You & I Will Be Pulling for You – Positive Coaching Image by Development Works Photos via Flickr Having taught...
4. Positive Coaching – Check Ego in at the Door Image by melissajonas via Flickr Over the years, one...
5. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – X Xample – OK, I know I am cheating a little...

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A great way to develop enthusiam and love for a sport is to go to upper level games in that sport. This may seem obvious but the trick is to follow it up with some action. Going to professional games is great and creates enthusiasm, but it may not create a love for the sport. Love develops when kids have the opportunity to try what they observe. That is why I endorse taking kids to local high school and college games where they can feel the excitement of the experience but at the same time be able to take out some equipment and play that sport after watching for a period. There is often some room where parents and kids can go, adjacent to the fields, where they can play awhile. The ability to follow up the viewing with some play creates a deeper feeling in the young athlete for that sport.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Creating Enthusiasm in Athletes

Positive parenting posts:

1. Love of Sport Image via Wikipedia I often encounter kids that play...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – N Negativity – First word that comes to mind when I...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – L Love of the Game – Love is the first...
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – U Understanding - ”I understand that just because a skill is easy...
5. ABC,s of Positive Parenting in Sports – I Inspiration -  This is an obvious word that initially comes to...

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Game Changer

I read about a new device that parents may be interested in at Lisa Winston’s great blog site. Check this device out – seems too good to be true for baseball parents
 http://gotmilb.mlblogs.com/archives/2010/01/gamechanger_where_were_you_whe.html

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Game Changer for Parents

Positive parenting posts:

1. Positive Parenting Podcast with Jack Perconte Had a great time talking sports with Joe Magennis –...
2. Where the Wild Things Are In Sports Jack’s recent article for Press Enterprise blog http://blogs.pe.com/moms/2009/11/where-the-wild-things-are-in-s.html Post...
3. “Star Treatment” Jack’s Article for Press Enterprise – Southern Californiahttp://blogs.pe.com/moms/2009/10/be-careful-of-the-star-treatme.html Post...
4. Showing Understanding – Sports Coaching Following is Jack’s article he writes for the Press Enterprise...
5. Excuses,Excuses – Parenting Advice Jack’s recent article for the Press Enterprise Blog – Southern...

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Good article at http://www.zikkir.com/index/109247 - Marye and I agree that parenting can be difficult and no where is that more evident than dealing with all the emotions that go into watching our kids play sports. We love our children so much and want to help them so much that often these factors get in the way of being the best parent at these moments. As she suggests in the article, parents should practice parenting – I know this seems weird but it is true. A good way to start is with my rule of 3.
When player makes mistakes count to 3 before saying anything.
When player has a tough game wait 3 hours before talking about game.
When player wants to quit a sport – tell them to wait 3 days to see if feeling change.
    Obviously, you can make this the rule of 4,5, whatever but the point is that a little time before reacting avoids impulsive, regrettable behavior that may hurt feelings between parent and athlete.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Parenting Practice for Sports Parents

Positive parenting posts:

1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – P Patience & Perspective Now we are talking – there are...
2. Youth Coaches Training Image by Brian Sawyer via Flickr If you are...
3. ABC,s of Positive Parenting in Sports – I Inspiration -  This is an obvious word that initially comes to...
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – L Love of the Game – Love is the first...
5. Love of Sport Image via Wikipedia I often encounter kids that play...

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If you are a coach or parent and are not reading blogs and articles at sites like this one http://baseballparentguide.blogspot.com/2009/12/too-much-emphasis-on-winning-not.html then you are not maximizing your potential as a sports parent and/or youth coach. I agree with this article completely and would like to add something to it. Simply put –  leagues, schools and organizations need to have better training for their coaches. There is the age-old complaint that coaches are just out to win and don’t work enough on player development. That is true, but the reason it is true is that most youth coaches do not have the training to observe players to see if players are perfroming the fundamentals correctly. Just because a parent played the sport in their day, does not give them the power of observation to know if players are doing something correctly. I played major league baseball before teaching baseball for 21 years. Just playing did not make me a good coach. It took many hours of study and observation. Because most youth coaches do not have this experience does not make them  bad coaches, they just are not rained enough. The one thing they can fall back on without this observation abilility is to put all their effort in trying to win. This is unfortunate, but without better trained coaches, the situation will not change. Once again, coaches will just fall back on the only thing they know – trying to win. Leagues should put more emphasis on their coaches training – one preseason coaches clinic is not sufficient. 

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Youth Coaches Training

Positive parenting posts:

1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Coaching Philosophy   Sports Coaching Philosophy Coaching Philosophy     It is important...
2. Positive Coaching – Check Ego in at the Door Image by melissajonas via Flickr Over the years, one...
3. Positive Parenting in Sports – When to Volunteer There are a number of considerations adults should take into...
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – U Understanding - ”I understand that just because a skill is easy...

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Parents don’t have to give a big speech to inspire their kids and giving one is one of the best ways to alienate kids anyway. Giving short inpirational messages though at the appropriate time is “priceless” as the saying goes. Kids in sports and life encounter many situations that can disappoint and discourage them so providing little inpirational words can help them deal with those situations.
    Just recently, I had to throw the famous saying “Where there’s a will there’s a way” at one of my kids after they had to maneuver to get through a tough situation. Looking up inspirational quotes, or making some up yourself is suggested for parents to be ready for times when their athletes have to overcome adversity. Some of my favorites include “no fear,” “negativity rarely if ever helps” and “you will get through this and be stronger for it.” Once again, they are not totally original but come in handy for youth sports. 

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Providing Inspiration

Positive parenting posts:

1. How to Motivate Youth in Sports – Positive Parenting Actions Image by Getty Images via Daylife A few posts...
2. Holiday Gift Ideas from Jack Perconte Many parts of our nation will be experiencing some cold...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting – M   Motivation – The first word that comes to mind...
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – G Goals – I am not a big believer in short...
5. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – U Understanding - ”I understand that just because a skill is easy...

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Parents often become concerned because their kids come home from practice and don’t appear very enthusiastic. “It was so boring,” is a common response. What to do? Good coaches know what to do – everything in sports require players learning how to do things quicker and faster. With this in mind, good coaches turn their practice drills into competitions for kids. I just finished up a baseball camp – after the first day of camp or at the start of practice the next day, kids would ask me if we could do a certain competition that we had done before. Coach can we do the “such and such” drill? That is a good feeling for a coach when athletes become enthused about doing certain drills or having competetive contests. Coaches should always have a watch or stopwatch available so they can turn any drill into a competition – for example, most throws completed in one minute or most free throws made in two minutes are examples.
    Coaches should teach correct fundamentals and then make things more exciting for kids by adding contests and competitions – athletes love to compete.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Making Sports Fun by Jack Perconte

Positive parenting posts:

1. Positive Parenting in Sports – New Year’s Resolutions Following are a few new year’s resolutions for parents for...
2. 5 Keys to Success in Sports Following are parenting tips to help bring out the best...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – A & B Attention – Getting the attention of players can be difiicult....
4. Are the Athletes Listening? Positive Coaching Image via Wikipedia      I work with baseball and...
5. My Favorite Positive Parenting Word? Image via Wikipedia by Former Major Leaguer Jack Perconte...

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Practicing Together - Priceless

Following are a few new year’s resolutions for parents for “being there” for their kids:
1. Find an safe area around house where kids can practice their favorite sport.
2. Practice with them when they ask – find the time.
3. Make it fun – set up little contests, tournaments if possible.
4. Point out fundamentals in a positive manner but do not dwell on them.
5. Film child and watch it sometime – put up on big screen if can – kids love watching themselves. Evaluate fundamentals only if child wants you to and you have expertise to do so.
6. Watch inspirational sports movies occasionally with kids.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Positive Parenting in Sports – New Year’s Resolutions

Positive parenting posts:

1. Making Sports Fun by Jack Perconte Image via Wikipedia Parents often become concerned because their...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – F Fundamentals     If you have been following my writings over...
3. Love of Sport Image via Wikipedia I often encounter kids that play...
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – A & B Attention – Getting the attention of players can be difiicult....
5. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – P Patience & Perspective Now we are talking – there are...

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by Former Major Leaguer Jack Perconte
    I have read where the word “You” is the most empowering word in the English language and the best word to use to inspire someone. “You can do it,” “You are the best” and “I believe in you”  are great examples of support to youth. However, it is very easy to use the “you” word  negatively like, “You will never be any good doing it like that,” “You have to practice, more” and “You embarrass me” and so on. Used in this manner the you word becomes a drag on kids desire to play sports.
    My favorite word when it comes to working with athletes is “We.” “Don’t worry about it, we will figure it out,” “We will work on it” and “We can do better next time” are positive statements to kids, giving them the understanding that you and your kids are in it together. Saying things with we is much more comforting and inspiring to young athletes.  Parents who use “we” when addressing their kids may see a positive change in their kids practice habits and sports performance.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

My Favorite Positive Parenting Word?

Positive parenting posts:

1. One Word Never to Use with Young Athletes – Keys to Successful Parenting Image by thejesse via Flickr Previously, I had written...
2. Positive Parenting in Sports – New Year’s Resolutions Following are a few new year’s resolutions for parents for...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting – M   Motivation – The first word that comes to mind...
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – O Optimism – One of my favorite words and concepts that...
5. 5 Keys to Success in Sports Following are parenting tips to help bring out the best...

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Preparing to Aim Straight

Now is a good time to think about your kid’s sports schedules for next season so that your young athlete is prepared for each sport they may play. It is especially good to be aware of any sport that may require a tryout, especially as kids get ready for high school and travel team tryouts. Tryouts have a tendency to be done over a short period maybe for as little as a one day tryout. It is very difficult for an athlete to go out “cold turkey” (without a few weeks of practice) and make a competitive team. The exception of course is the ahtlete who has already established a name for themself in that sport or one who is a family friend of the coach. It is additionally important to be physically ready for the particular sport to avoid an early season injury at the tryout. For example, a baseball player whose arem is not in shape will be expected to show his stuff at the tryout and can easily hurt their arm at a tryout.
    Parents should find out try out dates and sport start dates early so they can have their kids prepared and injury free. Otherwise, you may be surprised when your child walks in and says they have a tryout the next day. 

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Preparing for Next Season

Positive parenting posts:

1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Coaching Philosophy   Sports Coaching Philosophy Coaching Philosophy     It is important...
2. Positive Parenting in Sports – When to Volunteer There are a number of considerations adults should take into...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – E    Effort & Expectations - The first two words that come to...
4. The Travel Ball Conundrum Image by Getty Images via Daylife Whether a child...

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Holiday Gift Idea

Many parts of our nation will be experiencing some cold weather months ahead. This doesn’t mean that athletes should stop their training for the spring and summer sports. The off season is a great time to “condition the mind” as well as the body. For those looking for some stocking stuffers at the Holiday time, the gift of a sports instruction book or video can be very beneficial. Knowledge is often followed by confidence, so athletes can improve there game by wathcing or reading instructional tools. Additionally, there are many sports’ inpirational movies available which can help players become inspired for next season. Watching an inspirational movie is a great way to spend a cold, wintery night.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Holiday Gift Ideas from Jack Perconte

Positive parenting posts:

1. Positive Parenting Lessons at Holiday Time It would be great if parents could afford to buy...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – G Goals – I am not a big believer in short...
3. Positive Parenting Podcast with Jack Perconte Had a great time talking sports with Joe Magennis –...
4. Raising an Athlete – Book Excerpt      Another common concern parents have is that their child...
5. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – H   Hope – This is one of my favorite concepts...

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Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Positive Parenting Lessons at Holiday Time

Positive parenting posts:

1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – Y Youth  – Things are getting tough down here at the...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – R Resiliency – Another one of my favorite words with regards...
3. Ways to Minimize Parental Pressure – Positive Parenting The following tips can help parents to minimize the pressure...
4. Positive Parenting in Sports – When to Volunteer There are a number of considerations adults should take into...
5. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Burnout – Parenting Advice   Burnout – Another common word when talking about yout...

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Raising an Athlete

Had a great time talking sports with Joe Magennis – he is doing neat things over at his website. Check it out at:
http://baseballisms.com/podcast-author-jack-perconte.html

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Positive Parenting Podcast with Jack Perconte

Positive parenting posts:

1. Holiday Gift Ideas from Jack Perconte Many parts of our nation will be experiencing some cold...
2. Game Changer for Parents Image via Wikipedia     I read about a...
3. Where the Wild Things Are In Sports Jack’s recent article for Press Enterprise blog http://blogs.pe.com/moms/2009/11/where-the-wild-things-are-in-s.html Post...
4. Excuses,Excuses – Parenting Advice Jack’s recent article for the Press Enterprise Blog – Southern...
5. Negative Gestures Hurt as Much as Negative Words – Sports Coaching Reprint from Jack’s Press Enterprise Blog – Southern California...

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Keys to Success

Following are parenting tips to help bring out the best in athletes and to guarantee athletic success.
1. Begin working on skills at least 6 weeks before the start of practice and gradually increase the work load each week leading up to the season.
2. Begin teaching basic fundamentals at a young age without being overbearing with instruction, of course.
3. Use good training aids when affordable and available. For example, using and stressing the use of a batting tee to hitters of every age can make all the difference.
4. Learn as many quality drills as possible and perform them correctly, especially drills that address the player’s biggest faults. When a drill is good it will force a player to do a skill more efficiently.
5. Use practice time like a golfer uses the driving range – before games for getting loose and for developing grooved actions and after games for making adjustments.

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5 Keys to Success in Sports

Positive parenting posts:

1. Making Sports Fun by Jack Perconte Image via Wikipedia Parents often become concerned because their...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – H   Hope – This is one of my favorite concepts...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – C Confidence  – Nowhere is confidence more important than on the...
4. ABC,s of Positive Parenting in Sports – I Inspiration -  This is an obvious word that initially comes to...
5. One Word Never to Use with Young Athletes – Keys to Successful Parenting Image by thejesse via Flickr Previously, I had written...

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Parenitng Advice

Jack’s recent article for Press Enterprise blog
http://blogs.pe.com/moms/2009/11/where-the-wild-things-are-in-s.html

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Where the Wild Things Are In Sports

Positive parenting posts:

1. Excuses,Excuses – Parenting Advice Jack’s recent article for the Press Enterprise Blog – Southern...
2. “Star Treatment” Jack’s Article for Press Enterprise – Southern Californiahttp://blogs.pe.com/moms/2009/10/be-careful-of-the-star-treatme.html Post...
3. It’s All About “Perspective” – Parenting Advice From Jack’s blog at the Press Enterprise – Southern California...
4. Negative Gestures Hurt as Much as Negative Words – Sports Coaching Reprint from Jack’s Press Enterprise Blog – Southern California...
5. Showing Understanding – Sports Coaching Following is Jack’s article he writes for the Press Enterprise...

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Sports Coaching Philosophy

Coaching Philosophy

    It is important for coaches at all levels to have a philosophy of coaching. Of course, this philosophy should be arrived at based on the age of athletes and the competitive level of the league the athletes are playing in. For example, travel leagues tend to be more competitive so this should be taken into account when coaches are drawing up their philosophy. Three main objectives of playing sports revolve around winning, player development and fun. Coaches need to decide how much emphasis they are going to spend on these, once again, based on the age and competitive nature of the league and playing level. It is important to note that having fun should be an objective for all, but many coaches do not know how to make things fun. This does not make them bad coaches, as long as they teach the game to all players in a respectful manner.
    Coaches should write this philosophy down before the season and share it with team members and tem parents. This will help keep everyone on the same page and help keep the coach accountable to this philospohy as the season progresses.
   With younger athletes, most of the emphasis should be placed on player development. Coaches can still play to win but they should not dwell on winning or losing with these players. This is best done by keeping the same demeanor after wins and losses, and by not mentioning the importance of winning to the team. Coaches of young athletes should spend a great deal of time with developing individual skills and teaching basic game strategy.
    As kids age level increases, coaches expect a certain level of expertise from players and can start to emphasize the importance of winning more. This “winning attitude” should not be an obsession, but treated as a reward for coaches and athletes. This reward of winning creates good feeling with all because it shows that players executed better than the opposition and that the coach better prepared their team for competition.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Coaching Philosophy

Positive parenting posts:

1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – W Winning – The first word that comes to mind when...
2. Positive Parenting in Sports – When to Volunteer There are a number of considerations adults should take into...
3. Youth Coaches Training Image by Brian Sawyer via Flickr If you are...
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – U Understanding - ”I understand that just because a skill is easy...
5. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – X Xample – OK, I know I am cheating a little...

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Youth Sports Coaching

Jack’s Article for Press Enterprise – Southern Californiahttp://blogs.pe.com/moms/2009/10/be-careful-of-the-star-treatme.html

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

“Star Treatment”

Positive parenting posts:

1. Showing Understanding – Sports Coaching Following is Jack’s article he writes for the Press Enterprise...
2. Where the Wild Things Are In Sports Jack’s recent article for Press Enterprise blog http://blogs.pe.com/moms/2009/11/where-the-wild-things-are-in-s.html Post...
3. Excuses,Excuses – Parenting Advice Jack’s recent article for the Press Enterprise Blog – Southern...
4. It’s All About “Perspective” – Parenting Advice From Jack’s blog at the Press Enterprise – Southern California...
5. Negative Gestures Hurt as Much as Negative Words – Sports Coaching Reprint from Jack’s Press Enterprise Blog – Southern California...

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Sports Coaching

There are a number of considerations adults should take into account before volunteering to coach youth sports. Youth sports coaching is not as easy as it may appear because there is the responsibility of helping youth and at the same time keeping parents happy at the same time. With this in mind, adults should keep the following in mind before taking on the sports coaching task.
1. Knowledge of the sport is important, obviously. Coaches should have enough knowledge of the skills and strategy of the game to be able to help players of that age and enough knowledge to justify their decisions to inquisitive parents. With this in mind coaches should continue to learn more about the skills and strategy as the season approaches and as the season progressses.
2. Enthusiasm for the sport is important. Just having the knowledge is not enough if soem passion for the sport is not there. Enthusiasm is contagious and will rub off on the team, which is the goal. For example, many adults volunteer to coach only so there child can play on a particular team when they really don’t have a passion for that sport.
3. A desire to help every child on the team is important. Some youth sports coaches help only the better players and neglect others. Of course, some kids are not very coachable and coaches should not be expected to spend excess time with these type players at this level of play.
4. Fairness and honesty are crucial. As mentioned, coaches being able to deal with parents is crucial to an enjoyable season for all. This is most possible when coaches are fair with their decisions with regards to positions played, time of play and discipline. Additionally, coaches who are honest about their own strengths and weaknesses with players and coaches will have an easier time. Pretending to know everything about the sport, coaching and game strategy is a big mistake of many youth coaches.
5. Communication is always a key. Keeping players and parents abreast of important decisions is important. Coaches should not have to justify every move but should inform players and parents when big changes are being made or when they appear very upset with decisions.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Positive Parenting in Sports – When to Volunteer

Positive parenting posts:

1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Coaching Philosophy   Sports Coaching Philosophy Coaching Philosophy     It is important...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – J & K Justify – Not a lot of words beginning with this...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – X Xample – OK, I know I am cheating a little...
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – H   Hope – This is one of my favorite concepts...
5. Preparing for Next Season Image via Wikipedia Now is a good time to...

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Sports Coaching Tips

Jack’s recent article for the Press Enterprise Blog – Southern California Newspaper Online
http://blogs.pe.com/moms/2009/10/making-outs-and-i-am-not-talki.html

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Excuses,Excuses – Parenting Advice

Positive parenting posts:

1. Where the Wild Things Are In Sports Jack’s recent article for Press Enterprise blog http://blogs.pe.com/moms/2009/11/where-the-wild-things-are-in-s.html Post...
2. “Star Treatment” Jack’s Article for Press Enterprise – Southern Californiahttp://blogs.pe.com/moms/2009/10/be-careful-of-the-star-treatme.html Post...
3. It’s All About “Perspective” – Parenting Advice From Jack’s blog at the Press Enterprise – Southern California...
4. Negative Gestures Hurt as Much as Negative Words – Sports Coaching Reprint from Jack’s Press Enterprise Blog – Southern California...
5. Showing Understanding – Sports Coaching Following is Jack’s article he writes for the Press Enterprise...

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Sports Coaching Tips

     Another common concern parents have is that their child has no confidence. Often, they would ask me to help build up their child’s confidence. Of course, I would work on that because that is what good coaches do. Of more importance, I felt, was to make sure the young players had an overall optimistic outlook. Confidence is great, optimism is even better. Just like people in general, some athletes are naturally confident whereas others have no confidence. Players also have different confidence levels, ranging from very confident to somewhat confident. Usually, the higher the confidence levels of the athlete the better chance of a good performance. Confidence helps but it does not guarantee good results.

     Likewise, some players have an optimistic outlook and others are pessimistic. Optimistic players would say, “My fault, but I’ll get them next time,” while pessimistic players would say things like “I’m no good,” or “the umpire screwed me.” I was an example of a player who played and succeeded without much confidence, yet always had an optimistic feeling about where I was headed in my career. Players can succeed and progress without high levels of confidence, but I have never known a successful player who did not have an optimistic outlook.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Raising an Athlete – Book Excerpt

Positive parenting posts:

1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – C Confidence  – Nowhere is confidence more important than on the...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – O Optimism – One of my favorite words and concepts that...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – U Understanding - ”I understand that just because a skill is easy...
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting – M   Motivation – The first word that comes to mind...
5. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – J & K Justify – Not a lot of words beginning with this...

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A little info on my hilariously funny friend Jimmy Scott:
I don’t want to publicly state that I’m one of the best right-handed pitchers of all-time.  I’ll just think that.  Instead, I’ll state in a public forum that my 330 wins, 4000+ strikeouts, 2 no-hitters and 3 championship rings put me in elite company.  The top of my resume says A Great One.  I think that’s a proper heading, don’t you? Read more at http://www.jimmyscottshighandtight.com/

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

A Must Read – So Funny – Sports Coaching

Positive parenting posts:

1. Showing Understanding – Sports Coaching Following is Jack’s article he writes for the Press Enterprise...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – O Optimism – One of my favorite words and concepts that...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – U Understanding - ”I understand that just because a skill is easy...
4. 5 Keys to Success in Sports Following are parenting tips to help bring out the best...
5. My Favorite Positive Parenting Word? Image via Wikipedia by Former Major Leaguer Jack Perconte...

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Parenting Advice

The following tips can help parents to minimize the pressure they inevitably place on their kids:
A. Don’t let your child feel like your day revolves around their game and their play that day, even though it may be the highlight of your day.
B. Do not press them for details immediately after a game unless the player offers it. General questions like how they and the team played and did they have fun are OK, though.
C. At a later time, after dinner or the next day, give a positive before commenting on a player’s action and before offering advice. For example, saying “I liked the way you concentrated, next time you might want to try this in that situation.”
D. Parents should base their evaluations on a player’s effort level and not results. After all, athletes cannot always control winning and results, only their preparation and effort. My definition for success is how close to 100% did an athlete give and not how many points they scored.
E. Do not offer rewards (i.e. ice cream stop, money, etc.) if the child plays well.
F. Remain positive and encouraging – success often comes to players who have supportive, patient and understanding parents.
G. Explain the situation when you do show some frustration over your child’s performance. Apologizing after showing frustration – “I’m sorry, but I want you to do well, that’s part of what parents do” – or something to that effect is good positive parenting. After all, parents are not perfect and this will express that to your kids.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Ways to Minimize Parental Pressure – Positive Parenting

Positive parenting posts:

1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – S Success – The old saying “nothing succeeds like success” does...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – C Confidence  – Nowhere is confidence more important than on the...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – L Love of the Game – Love is the first...
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Q Quit - An obvious word when it comes to the...
5. Where the Wild Things Are In Sports Jack’s recent article for Press Enterprise blog http://blogs.pe.com/moms/2009/11/where-the-wild-things-are-in-s.html Post...

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Reprint from Jack’s Press Enterprise Blog – Southern California Newpaper
http://blogs.pe.com/moms/2009/09/not-so-harmless.html

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Negative Gestures Hurt as Much as Negative Words – Sports Coaching

Positive parenting posts:

1. It’s All About “Perspective” – Parenting Advice From Jack’s blog at the Press Enterprise – Southern California...
2. Excuses,Excuses – Parenting Advice Jack’s recent article for the Press Enterprise Blog – Southern...
3. “Star Treatment” Jack’s Article for Press Enterprise – Southern Californiahttp://blogs.pe.com/moms/2009/10/be-careful-of-the-star-treatme.html Post...
4. Showing Understanding – Sports Coaching Following is Jack’s article he writes for the Press Enterprise...
5. Where the Wild Things Are In Sports Jack’s recent article for Press Enterprise blog http://blogs.pe.com/moms/2009/11/where-the-wild-things-are-in-s.html Post...

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Sports Coaching Tips

Burnout – Another common word when talking about yout sports. Burnout occurs when playing the game just stops being fun anymore. The causes of burnout generally occur in three ways – over-playing, over-sporting and over-expecting. Kids are often heading for burnout when one or more of these situations occur: 1. When they play one particular sport too often or too long in a year
2. When they get to playing too many sports at the same time
3. When their own or others’ expectations of their performance becomes over-bearing
Parents and players should do their best to avoid any of these three situations from occurring.

Additionally, parents can go a long way towards keeping the fun in the game for young athletes with these three things:
1. Attention – Showing support and enthusiasm for their kids’ efforts is priceless.
2. Approval – Recognizing improvement is inspiration to youth
3. Knowledge - Providing the “know how” builds confidence.
Much more about recognizing and dealing with burnout can be found in Jack’s book Raising an Athlete - How to Instill Confidence, Build Skills and Inspire a Love of Sport

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Burnout – Parenting Advice

Positive parenting posts:

1. It’s All About “Perspective” – Parenting Advice From Jack’s blog at the Press Enterprise – Southern California...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – C Confidence  – Nowhere is confidence more important than on the...
3. Raising an Athlete – Book Excerpt      Another common concern parents have is that their child...
4. Positive Parenting in Sports – When to Volunteer There are a number of considerations adults should take into...

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Parenting Advice

ZEAL – Finally made it to the end of the alphabet. A synonym for zeal is enthusiasm and we all agree that enthuiasm form parents and coaches is necessary if they want their kids to enjoy sports. It is one of the key ingredients in developing love of the game in kids and a key for having fun for all. The problem comes in when we add the word over before zeal. Overzealous parents and coaches often take the fun out of sports for many, especially for young athletes. Signs of over-enthusiasm include bragging incessantly about one’s kids sporting activities, placing too much emophasis on a child’s games or development and giving false praise to kids. All of these signs of over-zealousness and usually this over emphasis is setting athletes and their parents up for a big letdown at some point in their athletic future. Zeal is great but over doing it will almost always lead to burn out.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

ABC”s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – Z

Positive parenting posts:

1. I Believe in You & I Will Be Pulling for You – Positive Coaching Image by Development Works Photos via Flickr Having taught...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Burnout – Parenting Advice   Burnout – Another common word when talking about yout...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Coaching Philosophy   Sports Coaching Philosophy Coaching Philosophy     It is important...
4. ABC’s Positive Parenting in Sports – D Development When you think of the letter D when it...
5. Positive Parenting in Sports – When to Volunteer There are a number of considerations adults should take into...

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Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

It’s All About “Perspective” – Parenting Advice

Positive parenting posts:

1. Excuses,Excuses – Parenting Advice Jack’s recent article for the Press Enterprise Blog – Southern...
2. Negative Gestures Hurt as Much as Negative Words – Sports Coaching Reprint from Jack’s Press Enterprise Blog – Southern California...
3. “Star Treatment” Jack’s Article for Press Enterprise – Southern Californiahttp://blogs.pe.com/moms/2009/10/be-careful-of-the-star-treatme.html Post...
4. Where the Wild Things Are In Sports Jack’s recent article for Press Enterprise blog http://blogs.pe.com/moms/2009/11/where-the-wild-things-are-in-s.html Post...
5. Showing Understanding – Sports Coaching Following is Jack’s article he writes for the Press Enterprise...

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Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

Showing Understanding – Sports Coaching

Positive parenting posts:

1. Don’t Allow Coach Trashing Image by Getty Images via Daylife It is very...
2. “Star Treatment” Jack’s Article for Press Enterprise – Southern Californiahttp://blogs.pe.com/moms/2009/10/be-careful-of-the-star-treatme.html Post...
3. Where the Wild Things Are In Sports Jack’s recent article for Press Enterprise blog http://blogs.pe.com/moms/2009/11/where-the-wild-things-are-in-s.html Post...
4. Negative Gestures Hurt as Much as Negative Words – Sports Coaching Reprint from Jack’s Press Enterprise Blog – Southern California...
5. Excuses,Excuses – Parenting Advice Jack’s recent article for the Press Enterprise Blog – Southern...

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Sports Coaching Tips

Youth  – Things are getting tough down here at the end of the alphabet. Not a lot of inspiring words or words pertaining to sports beginning with X,Y or Z so I am improvising a little. Y is for “Youth” sports and that is the point – it should be all about our youth. Parents and coaches should not become the story. Good coaches and parents are there to organize, teach the games and life lesson to help kids mature but they should not get in the way of letting kids play, make mistakes and have fun. In my book Raising an Athlete I discuss how often parents ruin sports for kids, but that doesn’t need to be the case if people use patience, perspective and understanding when dealing with youth in sports.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – Y

Positive parenting posts:

1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – U Understanding - ”I understand that just because a skill is easy...
2. ABC,s of Positive Parenting in Sports – I Inspiration -  This is an obvious word that initially comes to...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – C Confidence  – Nowhere is confidence more important than on the...
4. Positive Parenting in Sports – When to Volunteer There are a number of considerations adults should take into...
5. “Star Treatment” Jack’s Article for Press Enterprise – Southern Californiahttp://blogs.pe.com/moms/2009/10/be-careful-of-the-star-treatme.html Post...

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Sports Coaching

Xample – OK, I know I am cheating a little on this one but I want to keep the streak going. Everyone knows how important it is for coaches and parents to lead by example.  Just as important, especially as players reach the high school level, is that players learn to also lead by example. Not all players can lead by example but the best case scenario for a team and coach is when the better players on a team show the best hustle, a good work ethic and a desire to help the team. When the better players have this “team” attitude and selfless attitude, this example spurs all team members to follow their lead. Good coaches will look for players who have this ability to lead by example and will encourage them to continue and recognize these players at the appropriate time. Players who lead by example are respected by their teammates and are a credit to their school, team and city.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – X

Positive parenting posts:

1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Coaching Philosophy   Sports Coaching Philosophy Coaching Philosophy     It is important...
2. ABC’s Positive Parenting in Sports – D Development When you think of the letter D when it...
3. Positive Parenting in Sports – When to Volunteer There are a number of considerations adults should take into...
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – O Optimism – One of my favorite words and concepts that...
5. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – V Parenting Advice Variety,Victory,Voice,View - There is no one word...

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Parenting Advice

Winning – The first word that comes to mind when thinking of words that begin with W and sports is winning. It is often debated whether coaches of youth should play to win. I believe it is OK to play to win, even at ages as young as 8 years old. Does that mean allot of emphasis should be put on winning? Of course not, but playing to win is a good message for kids to understand. When coaches do not play to win they give the meassage that mediocrity is acceptable.
For kids under the agea of 12, I don’t believe any more than a 33% emphasis should be put on winning though, with much of a coach’s goal being to develop player’s skills and kids having fun. As long as these two latter points are emphasiszed there is nothing wron with playing to win, showing kids that they should strive for perfection and success.
How coaches deal with winning and losing is very important and hopefully it is in a positive, educational and gracious manner. Teaching kids how to deal with winning and losing are valuable lessons that kids need to learn and good coaches and parents are there to provide this instruction.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – W

Positive parenting posts:

1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Coaching Philosophy   Sports Coaching Philosophy Coaching Philosophy     It is important...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – G Goals – I am not a big believer in short...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – V Parenting Advice Variety,Victory,Voice,View - There is no one word...
4. Youth Coaches Training Image by Brian Sawyer via Flickr If you are...
5. Positive Parenting in Sports – When to Volunteer There are a number of considerations adults should take into...

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Parenting Advice

Variety,Victory,Voice,View -

There is no one word that sticks out when thinking of the letter V so I will mention some thoughts that apply to some V words that apply to sports.
 Variety – It is important that coaches and parents provide a variety of options to their kids at younger ages so that one

activity does not get boring or seem too important. Creating a love of sport and and fun in sports is dependent on a wide variety of teaching methods. As kids age, they will begin to sort out which activities they enjoy the most.
Victory – Another word for winning, and how coaches and parents deal with winning and losing is vital for kids devlopment in not only sports but life also. teaching kids how to accept defeat and at the same time how to be gracious victors is important.
Voice – The tenor of the voice that parents use when talking to their kids determines their kids attitude toward an activity. Teaching sports with a unemotional voice is vital so that excess pressure is not exerted on thier kids. Learning to teach with a matter of fact voice is good and not a pleading voice is the key.
View – This was talked about when discussing perspective but being able to view a players career with perspective (as from a distant view) allows parents to make good decisions for their kids.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – V

Positive parenting posts:

1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – W Winning – The first word that comes to mind when...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – T   Trust - The obvious word that comes to the...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Coaching Philosophy   Sports Coaching Philosophy Coaching Philosophy     It is important...
4. Positive Coaching – Check Ego in at the Door Image by melissajonas via Flickr Over the years, one...
5. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – P Patience & Perspective Now we are talking – there are...

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Sports Coaching

Understanding - ”I understand that just because a skill is easy for me or appears easy from the sidelines, does not mean it is easy for everyone.” ” I play to win, with the understanding that player development and fun are of equal importance.” “I do my best to understand each player’s personality so I can determine how to make them feel good about themselves and their play.”

These are some quotes from my latest book and show the importance of the word beginning with the letter U.
In “Rasing an Athlete” I have a coach’s quiz to see where coaches rank on a effective coaching scale. There are 50 questions asked with some valued higher than others. The intent is not really to evaluate coaches but to give people an understanding of how many ingredients go into making a great coach. Parents of athletes should not expect their volunteer coaches to rank super high on the quiz because they don’t have the experience, training and time to devote to being a great coach. Most great coaches are found at the collegiate and pro levels, with some at the high school level and even fewer at the youth level. However, this is not to say that there are not some very good youth level coaches because there are. Also, the good news is that coaches can and do improve over time with this often being a trial and error process to bring out the best in young players.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – U

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Coaching Youth Sports

Trust -

The obvious word that comes to the sports mind with the letter T is Talent. Talent is a combination of God-given athleticism and some develped skills and generally manifests itself at a young age in kids. The word that I want to talk about is trust because this is an extrememly important concept when parents and coaches work with athletes. Trust is something that people earn over time and is vital in keeping a good coach/student relationship. It is especially difficult to work with one’s own child and developing extreme patience is necessary. Following are some things to additionally consider in developing an athletes trust in you, the coach.

* Study up or be quiet – kids generally can recognize when someone does not know what they are talking about. This recognition is easy for kids when their coach tells them to to something one way and their parent tells them something different. Have the evidence on your side by doing some reseach if needed and don’t demonstrate something if you are not very good at it. It is hard to trust someone that looks awkward doing it themselves.

* Give kids a little time to fail before correcting them. When someone expects perfection too soon they will get defensive and may want to quit practicing.

* Say a positive before a negative – “I liked the way you did that, next time try this also,” for example.

*Address the action as much as possible – that swing, throw catch,kick – instead of “you” did this wrong.

* The tenor of the voice used is the key – saying things in an informative, non-emotional voice will go along way to gain trust as opposed to a “listen to me or else” voice. If you notice your son or daughter gets upset when you tell them how to do something then you are probably saying things in an accusing voice.

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ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – T

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1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – F Fundamentals     If you have been following my writings over...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – V Parenting Advice Variety,Victory,Voice,View - There is no one word...
3. Positive Coaching – Check Ego in at the Door Image by melissajonas via Flickr Over the years, one...
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Coaching Youth Sports

Success – The old saying “nothing succeeds like success” does make sense. Without positive results in sports, most kids will not want to continue, and that is understandable. Success is sometimes hard to define though and just as important is what I call “the feeling of success.” Often, success is judged by who won  and who had the best statitistics, but those should not be the only factors which determine success. In my mind, kids who give as close to 100% as possible are a success no matter what their results. However, this is only the case when parents and coaches recognize this and reward kids for their effort. Parents and coaches who are win at all cost or statistically oriented do not give kids this “feeling of success” and often a kids self-esteem suffers because of this. Positive parenting in sports suggests that parents judge kids on effort and not results and the good news is that often the results will follow for those that give maximum effort.

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ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – S

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Sports Coaching Tips

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ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – R

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Coaching Youth Sports

Quit - An obvious word when it comes to the letter Q is the word quit.  One of the great things about youth sports coaching and life lessons that parents and coaches can teach youth is the idea that one should never give up in competition and in their pursuit of their goals. This obviously good advice but unfortunately reality gets in the way, especially when it comes to quitting a sport. The time comes for all athletes to have to decide whether it is time to stop playing. I always tell athletes that the decision to stop playing should be their decision and not their parents or their coaches. It is good to get their parents and coaches advice but ultimately the decision should be the players. The key ingredient to give up playing or not is the fun factor. If an athlete still enjoys playing, they should look for any and all opportunities to keep playing. This may mean finding a different team, league, level – usually an alternative is available. A never quit attitude on and off the field is a key to athletic success and an admired trait in sports to develop. A never giv up attitude will lead to few regrets later in life and to success in many fields of pursuit.

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ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Q

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1. Ways to Minimize Parental Pressure – Positive Parenting The following tips can help parents to minimize the pressure...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – S Success – The old saying “nothing succeeds like success” does...
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Sports Coaching Tips

Patience & Perspective
Now we are talking – there are numerous great concepts when it comes to the letter P pertaining to sports – perspective, pressure, parenting, practice, patience, poisitive, just to name a few.  Over the weeks I will speak of these. The two most important ones, patience and perspective go hand in hand. Every adult believes in and practices these two concepts when it comes to youth sports – except when their own child or team is involved. Suddenly, even the most rational and positive of parents get caught up in the moment and lose perspective and patience. Most parents have been there because when you care for someone so much it is easy to lose perspective and patience, usually with coaches or your son or daughter. A few of things to remember when it comes to patience and perspctive:
1. No one can make their child a star player, only the child themself can do that.
2. Performing sports skills correctly takes a lot of practice and talent (genetic make-up).
3. It is the child’s time to play – don’t relive your playing days through your kids.
4.  It is not always the child star who ends up playing into and beyond high school, it is the player who continues to improve and enjoys playing the game.
5. Sports are never as easy as they seem when watching on TV

   In my books Raising an Athlete and The Making of a Hitter I go into great detail on how to keep the games in perspective and how to develop patience when working with your kids. Nowhere is patience more important than dealing with a difficult skill like baseball hitting.

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ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – P

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1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – H   Hope – This is one of my favorite concepts...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – E    Effort & Expectations - The first two words that come to...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – Y Youth  – Things are getting tough down here at the...
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Youth Sports Coaching

Optimism – One of my favorite words and concepts that obviously goes beyond sports. In my book, Raising an Athlete, I go into detail talking about comparing confidence and optimism and how to build optimistic kids. Confidence is not something that can be given to someone but is attained by good performance and/or good work ethic. Confidence comes and goes based on ones most recent performance. Some athletes are naturally confident and others are not but both can be successful. Optimism is different and is something that can be given to athletes. Good coaches and parents are constantly looking at the bright side of things and display and state this optimistic attitude to young players. Developing optimistic athletes is essential and this development will often carry over beyond the playing fields into their everyday life. Kids who lack confidence  may still succeed but kids who are not optimistic rarely, if ever, succeeed. Sports is a great avenue for parents to teach life lessons because of the inevitable disappointments that all athletes experience at times. Creating optimistic people should be one of the goals of effective parenting in sports.

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ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – O

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Sports Coaching Tips

Negativity – First word that comes to mind when I think of the letter N is negativity. Negativity unfortunately is way too common in sports coaching today. Coaches and parents who are negative are always looking at the downside of  players performances and make it a point to express the negative to their players. This is definitely the opposite technique that should be used compared to the recommended positive parenting in sports.  It may motivate players for a short period but in the long run negativity tends to wear players and teams down. This coaching technique should not be applied with non-professional athletes and coaches who do coach with negativity should try to understand the negative effects they are having on young athletes.  Coaches and parents who are negative should try to change their style of coaching and parenting and definitely should read books like mine Raising an Athlete – How to Instill Confidence, Build Skills and Inspire a Love of Sport. Kids who feel as though they can never satisfy mom or dad or coach usually lose their desire to keep playing sports.

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – N

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Sports Coaching Motivation

Motivation – The first word that comes to mind with sports and the letter M is motiavation. Motivation is a lot like love because it can be developed and it can come at different stages of a child’s career. All kids are diferent  – some are naturally motivated whild others have little motivation. There is no magic formula for making an athlete more motivated. As mentioned, the good news is that it is  can be developed over time in athletes. Parents and coaches should look for opportunities to inspire their kids in sports with the hope that the motivation develops. This can be done in a number of ways with some being: Staying positive, smiling and showing them how proud you are of them when they try hard, being patient, keeping expectations realistic, telling them stories of inpirational athletes. Finally, maybe the best way to motivate an athlete is to give them the knowledge and practice habits that  give them a chance to succeed. Nothing motivates an athlete more than success.

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ABC’s of Positive Parenting – M

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1. ABC,s of Positive Parenting in Sports – I Inspiration -  This is an obvious word that initially comes to...
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Sports Coaching

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ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – L

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Coaching Youth Sports

Justify – Not a lot of words beginning with this letter. Of course, coaches and parents should always be judicious with their teams and kids when making decisions about athletics. But one of my favorite words is justify. Most kids stop playing sports not because they get burnt out but because they cannot justify working so hard when the results are not there. This is a justifiable reason for ending their relationship with a sport and one in which a player’s parents should understand even if the parents are disappointed that their child has decided to stop playing. Kids who end playing for this reason can be proud that they gave it their all and things just didn’t work out to continue playing.

Knowledge - Simply put, knowledge creates confidence and a lack of knowledge causes insecurity and a lack of confidence. I know this first hand – because my lack of knowledge of the fundamentals of baseball I often felt out of control when playing which lead to a loss of confidence and a scared feeling, even though I made it to the major leagues. Giving players the knowledge of how to play and how to do the mechanics of sport is the number one responsibility of a coach.  Coaches are teachers of sport and they should continue to learn about the sport they coach so they can continue to provide technical and strategic knowledge of the sport so kids can play with confidence and poise.

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ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – J & K

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1. Positive Parenting in Sports – When to Volunteer There are a number of considerations adults should take into...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – H   Hope – This is one of my favorite concepts...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – C Confidence  – Nowhere is confidence more important than on the...
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – O Optimism – One of my favorite words and concepts that...
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Sports Coaching Book

Inspiration

-  This is an obvious word that initially comes to mind when I think of words beginning with this letter. Many parents get frustrated with their kids because they do not show much motivation to play to practice their skills. Often, motivation comes from within a players innate personality so that is hard to change with many kids. However, parents and coaches should not miss chances to inspire kids with words and actions. These words and actions may not help immediately or with that particular sport, but may help down the line with another activity in their child’s life. In my book “ Raising an Athlete” I discuss many ways of providing inspiration to kids.
Instincts - This is not as obvious a concept as inspiration but is an appropriate one when it comes to athletics. Some kids just seem to have good instincts at a particular sport and others not as much. The good new is that instincts can be developed. The biggest key to developing these is by playing actual game competition. Practice is always necessary for skill developmnet but insticts usually need game experience to develop them. When I grew up many of these instincts were developed at the local fields playing continaully in unorganized games with friends. Kids these days do not tend to play in unorganized atmospheres as often so these instincts sometimes are not developed as easily. This is where the increased degree of travel ball over the last 20 years has helped kids to develop the instincts of sport.

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ABC,s of Positive Parenting in Sports – I

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1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting – M   Motivation – The first word that comes to mind...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Burnout – Parenting Advice   Burnout – Another common word when talking about yout...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – J & K Justify – Not a lot of words beginning with this...
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – W Winning – The first word that comes to mind when...
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Sports Coaching Book

Hope – This is one of my favorite concepts that is so important in youth sports. It is so important because it is something concrete that parents and coaches can give kids that can make all the difference. You see, another person cannot give a player confidence for that is something they must attain on their own.  But, hope is something that can be given to athletes. Remaining positive with athletes when they struggle and providing helpful fundamental knowledge at the appropriate time gives players hope that they can do better the next time. As long as a player has hope, they usually will want to keep playing and look forward to practice and playing games. Positive words of encouragement before and after games are of course helpful, but  the most helpful advice is generally some solid fundamental tip that will make the player realize that they can perform well if they do the fundamentals correctly. A player feels hopeful when it is their fundamentals that need improving as opposed to thinking that it is “in their head” as to the reason they are not playing well. Do not overwhelm players with instruction but give hope whenever possible with a little tip.

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ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – H

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1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – F Fundamentals     If you have been following my writings over...
2. 5 Keys to Success in Sports Following are parenting tips to help bring out the best...
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Jack Perconte Sports Coaching Tips

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ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – G

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1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Q Quit - An obvious word when it comes to the...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – H   Hope – This is one of my favorite concepts...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – N Negativity – First word that comes to mind when I...
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Coaching Youth Sports Positively

Fundamentals
    If you have been following my writings over the last few years you know that this is the concept(s) I discuss the most frequently. To me, this word contains the two most important ideas pertaining to youth sports. Youth sports is albout developing fundamentals and having fun. The two go hand and hand. It is rare for a young athlete to want to work on the fundamentals of a sport without it being fun and it is rarely fun if a player doesn’t have some success at what they are playing, which is where improved or good fundamentals come in. That leads us to the key: it is vital that athletes come in touch with knowledgeable coaches who know how to make the game fun. This may be the athletes parent, but whoever it is, this person can determine how much the player is willing to work at their skills in that sport. One good coach can develop a player’s love for the game which generally leads to their desire to work hard to reach their potential.  Finding a coach who can make the game fun at practice and in games is the key to helping kids get the most out of their talent. Putting the fun in fundamentals is what I tried to dispaly in my first book The Making of a Hitter – A Proven & Practical Step-by- Step Baseball Guide - for baseball lovers. 

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ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – F

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1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – J & K Justify – Not a lot of words beginning with this...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – H   Hope – This is one of my favorite concepts...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – P Patience & Perspective Now we are talking – there are...
4. Sports Parenting Tips – Developing a Good Work Ethic Image by charissa1066 via Flickr     I have received...
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Effective Parenting Tips

   Effort & Expectations - The first two words that come to mind when I think of the letter E when it comes to sports are effort and expectations. They actually go hand and hand. The thing that parents can “expect” from kids performance on the athletic field is “effort.” Expecting kid’s to give as close to 100% effort as often as possible is not unreasonable parenting nor is it creating unreasonable expectations for their son or daughter. Expecting them to be the best on the team, getting a college scholarship, going pro or becoming a star in that particular sport are examples of unreasonable espectations, but expecting a good effort is OK and good, I believe. Stating this expectation at an early age in all endeavors that kids partake in is necessary. We will discuss many ways of doing this with future posts and is dealt with a great deal in my book, Raising an Athlete – How to Instill Confidence, Build Skills & Inspire a Love of Sport.                                                  

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ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – E

Positive parenting posts:

1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Burnout – Parenting Advice   Burnout – Another common word when talking about yout...
2. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – F Fundamentals     If you have been following my writings over...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – P Patience & Perspective Now we are talking – there are...
4. ABC,s of Positive Parenting in Sports – I Inspiration -  This is an obvious word that initially comes to...
5. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – C Confidence  – Nowhere is confidence more important than on the...

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From Raising an Athlete – Jack Perconte’s second book due out September 1 -

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Reality Check – Sports Coaching

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1. Positive Parenting Podcast with Jack Perconte Had a great time talking sports with Joe Magennis –...
2. Training for Fun – Great Blog for Moms Image by Axel Bührmann via Flickr I have been...
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Sports Coaching Help

Development

When you think of the letter D when it comes to sports, desire and determination come to mind. However, the concept that should not be left out of the “D” conversation and the one I most associate with athletics is development. Obviously, every player brings different genes and athleticism to the game. But no matter how talented or un-talented a player is, development of ones skill level and athleticism is necessary to compete over time, and to have achance at athletic success. I was always amazed at some of my students who brought very little skill and athletic ability who worked hard and become very good players. At first I felt like they might ber wasting their time and their parents money, but I undersestimated some of these non-gifted athletically players went on to play all the way through high school. They possessed the desire and determination to develop their skills and that is what they did. One of my favorite sayings is, “No player who wants to work at it (devlop) is beyond hope and beyond a parents and coach’s time.” Additionally, even players who are the most gifted must develop or they will see an end to their careers sooner than it should come to an end.

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ABC’s Positive Parenting in Sports – D

Positive parenting posts:

1. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – U Understanding - ”I understand that just because a skill is easy...
2. 5 Keys to Success in Sports Following are parenting tips to help bring out the best...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – C Confidence  – Nowhere is confidence more important than on the...
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports Coaching – X Xample – OK, I know I am cheating a little...
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Coaching Youth Sports Positively

Confidence  – Nowhere is confidence more important than on the playing fields of sport. Without confidence, players often lose their desire to keep playing, and at the very least they tend to play scared. Some players are naturally more confident than others, but confidence can be gained over time. Gaining confidence almost always is related to success. This is where things get tricky sometimes and where parents and coaches are vital to helping young athletes with their development. How parents and coaches define success and being able to relate that definition and help kids believe the definition is the key. I tell kids the definition of success is when they give as close to 100% as possible to whatever they put their mind and physical effort to. Not every child is blessed with the same degree of athletice talent or athletic instincts, but those that make the most of what they are given are a success. With this definition ingrained in young players, you will begin to see confident players and kids no matter the statistical outcome of their games. In my book, Raising an Athlete, I devote a great deal of time giving coaches and parents the words, phrases and gestures that help develop not only confident players on the field but , more importantly, optimistic kids for their futures.

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ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – C

Positive parenting posts:

1. Raising an Athlete – Book Excerpt      Another common concern parents have is that their child...
2. ABC,s of Positive Parenting in Sports – I Inspiration -  This is an obvious word that initially comes to...
3. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – O Optimism – One of my favorite words and concepts that...
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Burnout – Parenting Advice   Burnout – Another common word when talking about yout...
5. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – N Negativity – First word that comes to mind when I...

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Positive Sports Coaching

Attention – Getting the attention of players can be difiicult. Their attention span is often short and when they are around teammates and friends it tends to be even shorter. A couple of techniques I use to help this situation was to allow players time to warm up and socialize with their teammates before giving a talk on what you wanted to accomplish at the practice session, instead of trying to get them to listen immediately at the start of practice. Secondly, I would ask questions about what I was teaching. I was often amazed at which kids were paying attention and which ones were not. Often, the ones paying attention were not the players who were looking directly at you. That is why a short question and answer session was useful. If players know they may be called upon to answer a question, they had a tendency to pay more attention.

 Believability – Parents and coaches must have some experience with what they are teaching youth if they expect players to listen and try what they suggest. If parents don’t know the “why” and have previous “experience” of doing something a certain way, then kids will have a hard time wanting to do it their way. When parents do not have that expertise they should research it (read books, watch video, ask other coaches) or have an experienced coach work with their child. Otherwise, kids will tune the parent out or tell them to be quiet when they play and practice, especially when a kid reaches a higher level of ball, or just an older age. Reaffirming in a positive manner at the appropriate time what the player’s coaches are teaching is good, though. Future posts will discuss things like “positive manner” and “appropriate time.”

Post from: Positive Parenting in Sports - Raising an Athlete

ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – A & B

Positive parenting posts:

1. Are the Athletes Listening? Positive Coaching Image via Wikipedia      I work with baseball and...
2. Positive Parenting in Sports – New Year’s Resolutions Following are a few new year’s resolutions for parents for...
3. Positive Coaching – Check Ego in at the Door Image by melissajonas via Flickr Over the years, one...
4. ABC’s of Positive Parenting in Sports – Burnout – Parenting Advice   Burnout – Another common word when talking about yout...
5. ABC,s of Positive Parenting in Sports – I Inspiration -  This is an obvious word that initially comes to...

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