ljdad
BRONZE
Greetings Parents -
I’m pretty sure none of you know me. I used to be you. My daughter ages out this year. This has been a year full of lasts - Last Surf Cup, last travel to play in a showcase, and yesterday was her last club season game. I was blessed to be her biggest fan and share in her journey through the youth sports world in SoCal. Here are a few things I learned along the way.
Chill out. The most shockingly bad parent behavior that I saw was from parents on small sided u-littles games. During one game the parents were heckling players during the game, the ball goes to the GK who picks up the ball, she looks at the side line and says “Heckling a nine year old girl, you mothers must be so proud.” On 2 occasions I saw parents booing at the end of a game. You will play the same clubs over and over again, and between camps, ODP, all the player movement between teams, and High School sports, odds are somebody from whatever team your daughter is playing will eventually be a her team mate.
Don’t stress on what league the club plays in. When we started our journey, Coast Premier was THE league everybody wanted. Then it was ECNL. Then DA. Next… Just find a team where your kid is surrounded by players at her level where she gets a ton of playing time. If your kid is far and away the best player on the team and/or you win all your games by a jillion you have her in the wrong place. If your kid plays less than 25% of available minutes and/or you lose all your games by a jillion you have her in the wrong place.
My daughter was lucky to play for some outstanding coaches through the years. She really liked Wayne Crowe, Christian Alcantara, and Danny Tonks. She also had some coaches who were less than ideal. I always viewed each season as a commitment for that season but if I could do it over again, I would have pulled her out of some situations where she had a Vampire Coach who sucked the love of the game right out of their players. One of whom cured her of loving volleyball.
Lastly - enjoy this time with your kids. That long drive to whereever to play in the who gives a rats ass summer classic is a weekend you get to spend with your kids. Cherish those times - in what seems like a heartbeat they will be over.
I envy you your road ahead.
LJDad
I’m pretty sure none of you know me. I used to be you. My daughter ages out this year. This has been a year full of lasts - Last Surf Cup, last travel to play in a showcase, and yesterday was her last club season game. I was blessed to be her biggest fan and share in her journey through the youth sports world in SoCal. Here are a few things I learned along the way.
Chill out. The most shockingly bad parent behavior that I saw was from parents on small sided u-littles games. During one game the parents were heckling players during the game, the ball goes to the GK who picks up the ball, she looks at the side line and says “Heckling a nine year old girl, you mothers must be so proud.” On 2 occasions I saw parents booing at the end of a game. You will play the same clubs over and over again, and between camps, ODP, all the player movement between teams, and High School sports, odds are somebody from whatever team your daughter is playing will eventually be a her team mate.
Don’t stress on what league the club plays in. When we started our journey, Coast Premier was THE league everybody wanted. Then it was ECNL. Then DA. Next… Just find a team where your kid is surrounded by players at her level where she gets a ton of playing time. If your kid is far and away the best player on the team and/or you win all your games by a jillion you have her in the wrong place. If your kid plays less than 25% of available minutes and/or you lose all your games by a jillion you have her in the wrong place.
My daughter was lucky to play for some outstanding coaches through the years. She really liked Wayne Crowe, Christian Alcantara, and Danny Tonks. She also had some coaches who were less than ideal. I always viewed each season as a commitment for that season but if I could do it over again, I would have pulled her out of some situations where she had a Vampire Coach who sucked the love of the game right out of their players. One of whom cured her of loving volleyball.
Lastly - enjoy this time with your kids. That long drive to whereever to play in the who gives a rats ass summer classic is a weekend you get to spend with your kids. Cherish those times - in what seems like a heartbeat they will be over.
I envy you your road ahead.
LJDad