Football season- boys, it doesn’t get much better than this! There is a certain amount of excitement sitting in the stands cheering on your favorite team or if you are lucky being right on the sideline where you are right in front of the action. Helmets crashing, pushing and shoving, inches short of the first down. However, nothing compares to actually being in the game! I don’t want to sit in the stands as an observer. Put me in coach! I want to be in the game! What is my role in this game, in this season called life? This season I am a dad. I am not a player, I am not an umpire, I am not a coach. For the first time in my life I am not coaching my son I am watching, learning, and truly becoming a student of my son. It has been gut wrenching for me as I watch my son play a mans game. I watch as he pushes and shoves and drives forward with determination, the likes that I have never seen before. Football is a total team game and everyone has to dig deep. If one doesn’t they let the entire team down. It has been a great experience observing how my son responds to someone other than dad as his coach. So far so good. He is rising to the challenge. I can only pray I am performing in my role well. I asked my good friend Tim Kuykendall about it and appreciated his advice. The #1 thing kids want from their dad is to be accepted and encouraged by them. My son, as author John Eldridge put it; is growing up trying to answer this question “Do I have what it takes”? Tim who has a great father/son baseball training academy I highly recommend for boys playing baseball or wrestling tkuykendall@realitysports.org gave me these tips.
Before the game/practice: “What can I do to help you get ready?” How about pray over them? ”Go get em!”
During the game/practice: Stay in the stands. Such great advice to not find myself along the fence line with naysayers. Be aware of my own and my sons attitude, character, and any effort issues.
After the game/practice: “I love watching you play”. Refrain from re-hashing the game and correcting their mistakes on the way home. “Advice” can happen before the next game or practice -give them space. Remember acceptance IS NOT tied to performance.
Thank you Coach T and thank you Coach H for coaching my son! Thanks coach T for coaching me!
