9 Tips For Parents From Players

The following are the top 9 answers to the question “9 things I don’t want my parents to do at a baseball game”, asked by a panel of leading sports psychologist to a group of 500 children ranging in age from 8 to 14:

1. Don’t yell out instructions:  
During the game I’m trying to concentrate on what the coach says and working on what
I’ve been practicing.  It’s easier for me to do my best if you save instructions and reminders for
practice or just before a game.

2. Don’t put down the officials:  
This embarrasses me and I sometimes wonder whether the official is going to be tougher
on me because my parents yell.

3. Don’t yell at me in public:  
It will just make things worse because I’ll be upset, embarrassed, or worried that you’re
going to yell at me the next time I do something “wrong”.

4. Don’t yell at the coaches:
When you yell about who gets what position, it just stirs things up.

5. Don’t put down my teammates:
Don’t make put-down remarks about any of my teammates who make mistakes.  It takes
away from our team spirit.

6. Don’t put down the other team:
When you do this you’re not giving us a very good example of sportsmanship so we get
mixed messages about being “good sports”.

7. Don’t lose your cool:
I love to see you excited about the game, but there ‘s no reason to get so upset that you
lose your temper!  It’s our game and all the attention is supposed to be on us.

8. Don’t lecture me about mistakes after the game:
Those rides home in the car after the game are not a good time for lectures about how I
messed up – I already feel bad.  We can talk later, but please stay calm, and don’t forget
to mention things I did well during a game!

9. Don’t forget how to laugh and have fun:
Sometimes it’s hard for me to relax and have fun during the game when I look over and
see you so tense and worried.