Those who know me personally or through my work, know my love for sports…to learn life lessons. Yes, I’m competitive and was trained to be an athlete, but being a part of a team is one of the most important things for kids these days.
In sports, a coach is a person involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.
Many people challenge my thoughts on this with, “Why do the kids need to be so busy at this age?” and “It seems like we are running and running, with no time to be home together” and “Kids just don’t get to be kids anymore”.
To a point I agree. But this is due to changes in our culture, from us as parents. We have created this.
WE are distracted with technology. WE are working parents trying to keep it all together. WE are stressed and overcommitted. WE don’t have time to cook so there aren’t home cooked meals where everyone sits together. WE don’t bring our kids to school or tuck them in at night. To make the family stronger, it comes from us. It doesn’t come from our kids being in too many activities.
Sports decrease distractions.
Kids don’t have time to be on their phone, facebook, Instagram and snapchat. They are focused on efficiencies and other commitments – how do I maintain my GPA, commit to my coach and team, get enough of the basics (sleep, food, drink, mindset).
Sports are focused on building a team, together. Sports are focused on increased 1-1 communication (with coaches and teammates), improving body language, respecting authority, making eye contact, improving confrontation skills, accepting criticism, and breaking through barriers and challenges every day. In working with hundreds of kids every week, I see this lacking. It’s not about if they’re the star.
It’s about your child finding their power to be their best every single day.
It’s about them helping their teammates be their best every single day. It’s about finding a passion, increasing their strengths and being in a social group where the whole is much greater than each of the parts.
In our daughter’s first year of running Cross Country, the impact that her coach has had on her in the last 6 months is immeasurable. According to her quote, “He teaches us a lot about life, not just about running. He teaches us how to be a good teammate and how to be a good person.
If they aren’t a part of a team in school, will they be a great teammate in the future?
Dr. Tiffany
