As you start another season of fall sports, you may feel the season’s success and enjoyment rests on the coach or the team. While it’s true the coach and team dynamics do have influence on the season, it’s important to remember that you have more control than you realize over how the season goes.

The control lies in the fact that you have choices to make every day, every game, and every practice. Choices on how you react to adversity, how you handle your child’s struggles, and how much you are willing to let go of your child and let them fight for themselves. Those choices will have a huge impact on your child’s season. Making the right choices as a sports parent can help your child have a great season even when things may not be going so great.

Keep these five facts in mind and use them to guide the choices that will help shape your child’s season:

1. Your child doesn’t need you as much as you think they do.

Watch what happens when you start to let go; You may be amazed at your child’s creativity and resilience.

2. Coaches will do their jobs better without your input.

Parents need to focus on being parents, and let the coaches feel free to do their jobs. If they are coaching to please every parent, it will be a very frustrating year for them and for the parents. When coaches do their job without parents interfering, they will enjoy the season more. Parents should be able to relax and enjoy the games too, because it’s not their job to worry about the game.

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3. Your child will remember how you act.

Just ask my kids! They can tell you stories of my misbehavior at games and some of the stupid things I said after the games on the car ride home.

What do you want your children to say about you as a sports parent in 10 years? Let that guide how you act.

4. Your child is going to learn.

What your child gets from their youth sports experience is largely dependent on what you let them learn. They can learn to let others fight their battles or they can learn to fight them for themselves. They can learn to blame others for mistakes or they can learn to take responsibility and shoulder the blame as a team. They can learn to look for the easy way out or they can learn to push through the hard way and come out strong on the other end.

Your child will learn something from their youth sports experience; What will it be?

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5. Your child will be okay.

The season may be rough, the coach may seem unfair, and your child may be discouraged, but they will be okay IF you lead the way. Show them how to handle discouragement and frustrations, talk to them about how they can handle it, and continually express your love and support for them no matter what.

Let these five facts be the foundation for your choices this season. It may not necessarily make things easier, but it can turn a hard season into a great one.

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 .Janis B. Meredith is a parenting coach. She provides resources to help parents raise champions. Learn more about how she can help parents Raise Champions