Without parents who love their kids, we would have no youth sports. Whether a player is in a recreational league or the highest level travel team there are a couple common denominators:
The kids can’t get there without their parents.
The kids can’t play if the parents don’t pay the bills.
Both parts of this equation are very important and should never be taken for granted.
When you go to the ballpark, depending on the age group, you will see parents supporting their kids. At the youngest age groups, you see pop up tent villages where a team has staked out their claim and everyone is there to make a day of it. With the older kids, the parents have become a little more mobile and while they are there for the whole day they will be more of a hit and run fan. Whichever group you are observing though there is one thing in common. The parents are there, ALWAYS!
Why do parents make the sacrifices they do? They love their kids and they want to provide them with every opportunity they can. So when an outsider observes the youth sports parent phenomenon, they are often confused.
To the uninitiated it is very difficult to understand:
Traveling many miles with a car load of equipment, kids, coolers and overnight bags. Or, stopping along to way to overload your credit card with gas and food stops.
Or, “volunteering” to work the concession stand, working on the field or keeping the stats.
Or, attending the countless meetings, practices, fundraisers and …
Because, That’s What We Do!
The outside also can’t understand:
Why the sports parent house is a mess,
Or, their grass needs to be mowed.
Or, they have no “vacation” time left.
Or, why they run up crazy credit card bills.
Or, why they gave up all their own hobbies, vacations, bowling nights and…
Because, That’s What We Do!
The outsider will ask why and the sports parent will just shake their head because they understand why they do it and they know they can never explain it is a way that the outside will understand but here’s a shot. The sports parent is:
There for the big wins, great play or championship celebration.
Or, the heartbreaking loss, the big mistake and the bounce back.
Or, the car rides home where your child is happy as a clam until they fall asleep with a smile on their face.
Or, the friendships that you make with other people sharing the same experience.
Or, the look on your kids face when…
Because, that’s what we do!
