Are you becoming a better Sport Parent?

Whos's David Beckham? George Brett wants respect for the sport? This is a guy who made it a habit to attack umpires.

Referee wrote: Whos's David Beckham? George Brett wants respect for the sport? This is a guy who made it a habit to attack umpires.

Yes and he spit chewing tobacco in the face of a heckling fan and smashed locker room toilets with a baseball bat during a hitting slump. Clearly, all of this bad behavior stems from a character defect caused by an overbearing father.

Anybody can say that they had a tough parent and this is why they behave in a difficult way. However common sense tells you there are certain things you just can't do, especially if you're trying to set an example. Walk the walk. I see some parents that when they see their kid play poorly the first thing they do is criticize and yell at them, when the kid is looking for a refuge. The kid knows she had a bad game.
Playing the game at a high level is not as easy as it looks. Try it sometime. Set an example. I see big fat parents SCREAMING at their kid, meanwhile they're pigging out from the sidelines. Hipocricy comes to mind. Your kid sees YOU as an example. Forget the professional athletes they see on T V. We're all trying to develop and teach our kids the best possible way. We don't need some quote from some jock who says something and did something else. Kind of like a family doctor telling you how to do it and the doc himself never had any kids.

Referee wrote: Anybody can say that they had a tough parent and this is why they behave in a difficult way. However common sense tells you there are certain things you just can't do, especially if you're trying to set an example. Walk the walk. I see some parents that when they see their kid play poorly the first thing they do is criticize and yell at them, when the kid is looking for a refuge. The kid knows she had a bad game.
Playing the game at a high level is not as easy as it looks. Try it sometime. Set an example. I see big fat parents SCREAMING at their kid, meanwhile they're pigging out from the sidelines. Hipocricy comes to mind. Your kid sees YOU as an example. Forget the professional athletes they see on T V. We're all trying to develop and teach our kids the best possible way. We don't need some quote from some jock who says something and did something else. Kind of like a family doctor telling you how to do it and the doc himself never had any kids.

BINGO!

Referee wrote: Anybody can say that they had a tough parent and this is why they behave in a difficult way. However common sense tells you there are certain things you just can't do, especially if you're trying to set an example. Walk the walk. I see some parents that when they see their kid play poorly the first thing they do is criticize and yell at them, when the kid is looking for a refuge. The kid knows she had a bad game.
Playing the game at a high level is not as easy as it looks. Try it sometime. Set an example. I see big fat parents SCREAMING at their kid, meanwhile they're pigging out from the sidelines. Hipocricy comes to mind. Your kid sees YOU as an example. Forget the professional athletes they see on T V. We're all trying to develop and teach our kids the best possible way. We don't need some quote from some jock who says something and did something else. Kind of like a family doctor telling you how to do it and the doc himself never had any kids.

The smiley face was meant to signify that I was kidding about excusing or justfying bad behavior because of bad parenting. Furthermore, the point of the George Brett stories was not that we should look at him as a role model for parenting. The point was that I'd rather have my kid look back on her childhood sports experiences and remember me as a supportive, positive parent as opposed to hating me because nothing she did was ever good enough. Parents are more important role models than celebrities and unlike those celebrites, our kids see and hear what we do on a daily basis.

I think I'll go back to non-serious posting. At least my kids think I'm funny.

Outside of all the overthetop parents who are tearing down their own DDs, I notice how there is little good sportsmanship in US youth soccer. Why don't kids apologize when they mess up and kick another kid in the shin? Why don't kids help a fallen kid back up? Why is there way more sportsmanship in boys basketball than girls soccer? Are parents not teaching girls good sportsmanship? Are coaches not responsible for teaching fairness and respect? I've even seen some teams that consistently commit cheap underhanded fouls away from the ball. If my kid took a cheap shot, she would be punished for a month. I think being a better sports dad is to make sure my kid learns good sportsmanship. Am I the only one that wonders where sportsmanship has gone?

dirknowitzki wrote:Outside of all the overthetop parents who are tearing down their own DDs, I notice how there is little good sportsmanship in US youth soccer. Why don't kids apologize when they mess up and kick another kid in the shin? Why don't kids help a fallen kid back up? Why is there way more sportsmanship in boys basketball than girls soccer? Are parents not teaching girls good sportsmanship? Are coaches not responsible for teaching fairness and respect? I've even seen some teams that consistently commit cheap underhanded fouls away from the ball. If my kid took a cheap shot, she would be punished for a month. I think being a better sports dad is to make sure my kid learns good sportsmanship. Am I the only one that wonders where sportsmanship has gone?

Nope.

Unfortunately we can only directly control our own kids and hope that the example we set will be followed by others.

That includes not allowing your child to play for a coach that exhibits poor sportsmanship on his/her own, or tolerates poor sportsmanship from any of his/her players.

dirknowitzki wrote:Outside of all the overthetop parents who are tearing down their own DDs, I notice how there is little good sportsmanship in US youth soccer. Why don't kids apologize when they mess up and kick another kid in the shin? Why don't kids help a fallen kid back up? Why is there way more sportsmanship in boys basketball than girls soccer? Are parents not teaching girls good sportsmanship? Are coaches not responsible for teaching fairness and respect? I've even seen some teams that consistently commit cheap underhanded fouls away from the ball. If my kid took a cheap shot, she would be punished for a month. I think being a better sports dad is to make sure my kid learns good sportsmanship. Am I the only one that wonders where sportsmanship has gone?

You make a great point and I saw an example of great sportsmanship at my DD game a few weeks ago. My DD was chasing down a free ball and was sandwhiched between two defenders. The defender on the other team got to the ball first and my DD was putting on pressure and the other player simply tripped over the ball. The ref called my DD for a foul as the other girl was on the ground.


AFter the play, I saw the other girl saying something to my DD on the field and thought she was talking smack to my DD. I asked my DD what was said after the game and she said the defender came up to her and said: " You should have not been called for a foul as I tripped on the ball myself." There was no smacktalk at all, just an apology really.

Was nice to see the other player be so open and honest.

Forget about sportsmanship. The apple don't fall far from the tree. Bad sport parents makes bad sport kids. The parents set the example.

OOrah wrote:Forget about sportsmanship. The apple don't fall far from the tree. Bad sport parents makes bad sport kids. The parents set the example.

I like your brutal honesty. Even if others haven't always appreciated it on this forum.

OOrah wrote:Forget about sportsmanship. The apple don't fall far from the tree. Bad sport parents makes bad sport kids. The parents set the example.

I totally agree! Our kids look to us as role models - I am constantly asking myself: are my actions and decisions teaching my kids something positive about how to live their lives?

Slim wrote:

OOrah wrote:Forget about sportsmanship. The apple don't fall far from the tree. Bad sport parents makes bad sport kids. The parents set the example.

I totally agree! Our kids look to us as role models - I am constantly asking myself: are my actions and decisions teaching my kids something positive about how to live their lives?

Hopefully they don't see your avatar...

Distributor wrote:

Slim wrote:

OOrah wrote:Forget about sportsmanship. The apple don't fall far from the tree. Bad sport parents makes bad sport kids. The parents set the example.

I totally agree! Our kids look to us as role models - I am constantly asking myself: are my actions and decisions teaching my kids something positive about how to live their lives?

Hopefully they don't see your avatar...

What in the world is wrong with my avatar? That's my lawn mowing outfit - gotta keep cool in July and August!

Slim wrote:

Distributor wrote:

Slim wrote:

OOrah wrote:Forget about sportsmanship. The apple don't fall far from the tree. Bad sport parents makes bad sport kids. The parents set the example.

I totally agree! Our kids look to us as role models - I am constantly asking myself: are my actions and decisions teaching my kids something positive about how to live their lives?

Hopefully they don't see your avatar...

What in the world is wrong with my avatar? That's my lawn mowing outfit - gotta keep cool in July and August!

I am glad you're not my neighbor.

I just bought a new swim suit I'm saving for the qualifying tournament - it gets hot on those sidelines!

By the way, I'm the team manager of my DD's team and were looking to "round out" our roster. We've got a great group of parents. Let me know if you're wanting to make a change. See you on the pitch!

Slim wrote:By the way, I'm the team manager of my DD's team and were looking to "round out" our roster. We've got a great group of parents. Let me know if you're wanting to make a change. See you on the pitch!

Clean up your bubblegum and I'll think about it