This will be a 2 part post to both the child athlete and their parents!
Part 1: Dear Child Athlete
Dear Child Athlete,
I know how excited you get when it’s time for practice, games, etc. It’s so much fun to be out doing something with your friends! You have no idea how lucky you are to get to participate in the sports and activities that you do! There are a few things that I’d like you to keep in mind while you play and participate!
- It’s Just a Game! – Remember, no matter what anyone says, it really just is a game. It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, hit the ball or don’t, pitch a no hitter, set a record, or come in last! Your future will not be affected by the outcome of this game or activity, I PROMISE!
- Listen & Learn – organized activities and sports are a great time to learn! I know what you’re thinking “learning is for school”, but that couldn’t be further than the truth. We all learn valuable skills & lessons from participating in sports & activities. Listen to your coaches, think about what they tell you, be a good teammate, and a fair and honest competitor. You will learn how to take criticism, praise, and how to get along with others! Those skills will take you so much further in life than knowing how to pitch a curve ball or make the perfect tackle!
- Do Your Best – yup, like I said, it’s just a game, but you should put your best foot forward and do your best! That goes for anything in life! No matter what you do, do it with pride, passion, and to the best of your ability! If running that 200M dash in 1 minute is the best to your ability, GREAT! If standing in the batters box and not flinching, SUPER! If hitting a home run is your sweet spot, DO IT! Whatever your best is, do it and do it always! Having passion and drive will get you further in life than any type of pitch!
- Have FUN – You are a child! Please remember that! You only have one job right now and that is to be a kid! I don’t care if your 7 or 17, you’re still a kid! You don’t have to live out your parents aspirations through your sport or activity. You need to have fun, learn, and enjoy being a kid. If something isn’t fun anymore, don’t do it! Life is too short to be miserable in your extra curricular activities, but find something that makes you happy! If baseball makes you happy, PLAY! If working a summer job makes you happy, WORK AWAY! If learning how to play the tuned bayonets is your mojo, GO FOR IT! Have fun, enjoy! (Trust me, there will be plenty of things in life you will have do that HAVING to play soccer even though you hate it, that isn’t worth it!)
I hope you all know how much your parents love you and support you! Enjoy what you do and do your best!
Love,
An Adult
Wise advice. I especially love the part about how as a kid, your number one just is to be a kid!
Thank you! It can be hard on situations to remember they are kids, but it’s true. They grow up fast enough in today’s society that it seems to get lost that They are just kids!
Great post, Katy! Can’t wait to see part 2! I agree with Jeni, and also love the part about learning. So many youth sports are about WINNING – from like age 4! When do they learn if they’re expected to be all-stars from birth?!
Thank you for your comments! It means a lot, especially coming from you (who has very active competitive kids)!
Great post, Katy! I know you have years of sports events ahead of you and the boys and ti is going to be so much fun. Keeping all these things in mind will definitely help!!!
Thank you! I want them to have fun and learn, if they excel in the meantime, great and if not, I’m ok with that too! It’s a crazy time of year right now, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything!
Great advice for all kids to remember!
Thank you!
Great advice! My oldest 5, is just now starting t-ball…..we have MANY more years of reminding us and them of all of this!
Yes, you do! The older the boys get it becomes harder to remember, but it’s so important!