A great coach once told me that “whatever you do, be quiet on the drive home after your son’s game. It is not the time in which a young man’s heart is open to coaching. Find something to praise and save the coaching to just before the next game when the counsel can immediately be applied.”
Wow, what great counsel and wow, did I not follow it last night. Heed the advice of a man much smarter than I and focus on the joy of the game and blessing of being able to watch your son play it. Don’t try to re-work his swing just after he struck out. It leads to a Dad moment that I would like to erase from memory.
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That is such good advice, Darin. Teachable moments don’t usually happen immediately following a game, when everyone’s emotions are running high. Since our sons were little, my hubby and I have tried to make only positive comments for the remainder of the day following a game. We choose one thing our son did well during his game and compliment him on that.
I see far too many boys looking defeated and not enjoying sports by the time they get to junior high or high school, and I believe it’s partly because they have parents who constantly coach them or criticize their game. My goal is to help instill a lifelong love of the sport in my sons.
I don’t always succeed at giving only positive comments, but it is a good goal to strive for!