So what does it look like when Mom or Dad wants it more than their child does?
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Mom and/or Dad are ready to head to the lesson, practice or game before their kid is.
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Mom and/or Dad want to talk about everything that happened at the lesson, practice or game more than their kid does.
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The player dragging her equipment in from the parking lot like it weighs a ton while Mom and/or Dad gleefully tote their days worth of supplies in their new super wagon!
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The player acting like they would rather get stabbed in the eye than be at their lesson, practice or game while Mom and/or Dad video the entire event.
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Mom and/or Dad are hanging on every single pitch, at bat or play like there is no tomorrow while their kid really doesn’t care about any of it.
And on and on the list goes.
Why is this a problem?
When the parents want it more than the kids, things are totally out of whack! If your child doesn’t really want to play the game, then how much fun can it be to drag them kicking and screaming to the ball park.
All that can come from this scenario is a player who ends up hating a game that should be fun and exciting to play.
I’ve known players that ended up quitting the game, some who were extremely talented players, because their parents wanted the game more than they did. Sad to see but not the only outcome.
There are many success stories, too. More on those in the next part of this series.
About the Author: Tory Acheson brings a wealth of knowledge to the Fastpitch Prep staff. He has coached at all levels of the game, including the last 25 years at the college level at the University of Wisconsin – Parkside, Tennessee Tech and Kennesaw State. He began his coaching career at the high school level spending 9 years Whitnall High School in Greenfield, Wis. and is now working as a professional softball instructor.
Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Contact fastpitchprep@gmail.com.
