There’s a lot of things to remember to do as your child plays sports: wash uniforms, clean out the duffle bag, buy the snacks, volunteer to help the team–those are all important, but I’d like to suggest you and your child look over another very important checklist: your sports checklist. These are things that you don’t pack in your sports bag; they are mostly things you bring in your heart and mind, and they will be the difference between a positive season and a miserable season.

Take a few minutes to read over this 15-point checklist with your child and talk to him about things that really matter.

1. Remember to be proud of who you are and what you’ve already accomplished. There’s more of it to come!

2. Tell your child it’s okay to be different. It’s OK to be YOU.

3. Be nice to the new teammate.

4. Thank your coach for being your coach.

5. Make new friends on the team; don’t be limited by cliques.

6. Remember that it’s okay to make mistakes. Sports is about learning from them and getting better because of them.

7. Smile more. It just might cheer someone up.

8. Remember to play because you love the game, not because someone else wants you to play.

9. Always bring your own water bottle…and don’t drink out of anyone else’s!

10. Thank your officials. They are doing their best.

11. Respect your opponents. They’ve worked hard, too.

12. Learn as much as you can from your coaches and teammates.

13. Bring HEALTHY snacks to eat before practice.

14. Remember that it’s about the TEAM, not about you.

15. And lastly, always remember to bring your sense of humor. Because taking yourself too seriously takes much of the fun out of your game.

 

Janis B. Meredith is a sportsparenting blogger, podcaster, and life coach. She provides resources to help parents give their children a positive and growing youth sports experience. Learn more about good sports parenting habits in her book 11 Habits for Happy & Positive Sports Parents, available on Amazon.