You are welcome to review recently released “Becoming a True Champion” (Rowman & Littlefield, May 2012). Much different than many sports books available today, it delves into sports and youth sports “for” the athlete’s perspective – meaning to give them the tools and proper mindset that encompasses getting the most out of your sports experiences.

So many books today are written only for the parent, however, by the time athletes reach high school age the largest determining factor in whether they will feel or be successful or not is based on the choices they themselves will make. Feel free to peruse my website to get a feel for the book and what it encourages and supports in athletes, as well as parents and coaches.

Hope all is well with you.

Best,

Kirk
“Becoming a True Champion”

A few years ago, one of my former law students told me an astounding story about the high school JV football team that he and a friend were coaching as unpaid volunteers. Shortly before the first game, the two coaches held a pizza party for the players at their own expense. With a large roster of hungry players, that’s a lot of pizza.

The principal and most of the parents appreciated the coaches’ gesture as a way to help the players bond with one another. A few parents, however, complained to the principal, saying that the coaches were ungrateful because they had not invited the parents. “If we did not drive our kids to practice,” the parents said, “the coaches would have no team to coach.”

Of course, coaches should show the same gratitude that parents should show. If a parent shines in fundraising or organizes team trips, for example, that parent deserves everyone’s public thank-you, including the coach’s. If the parents have been supportive during the season, group or individual thank-you’s may also be in order. But unless the coach happens to feel otherwise, parents do not warrant the coach’s thank-you simply for showing up. Volunteer coaches are service providers; parents are service consumers. There’s a difference.

I just bought my son the new Exogrid 2. He likes it better than his old exogrid!

Of course the vigilante-types who are making threats against these people (and their families) are also in the wrong. We have a justice system and the victim also has the option to file suit so spectators should stay out of the way and not cause trouble.

As Doug said, “Parents and coaches have a more important role than ever to play in teaching their players sportsmanship and mutual respect that make youth athletic competition more worthwhile for everyone.” The role was always important but now there’s no hiding because the camera is rolling…

The two athletes featured in this column made impetuous mistakes but caused no one permanent injury, and both athletes should be able to get on with their lives. Americans can be a forgiving people, as we see so often when fallen politicians reinvent themselves and get a second chance in the public arena. Forgivenss should extend to kids too.

That being said, the social media assure that the actions of the two athletes will not be totally erased from memory. Parents and coaches have a more important role than ever to play in teaching their players sportsmanship and mutual respect that make youth athletic competition more worthwhile for everyone.