1. Always remember that children tend to exaggerate both when praised or critisized. Temper your reactions when your children come home of tales of woe or heroics.2. Try to be as completely honest as possible about your child's ability level, his competitive attitude, his sportsmanship, and athletic ability.
3. Be helpful, but don't coach on the way to the gym or on the way home....or ever at breakfast.
4. Teach him to enjoy the "thrill of competition". Never say "winning doesn't matter", because it does.
5. And hear this parents; trying to relive your athletic career through your child increases pressure. Don't pressure him because of your pride.
6. Don't compete with the coach. In many cases the coach becomes a hero to his players, someone who can do no wrong.
7. Which is why it is important to get to know the coach so you can know if his philosophy, attitude, ethics, and knowledge is something you want to expose your child to.
8. Do not compare your child's ability, attitude, or work ethic to other players especially where he can hear.
9. Make sure your child knows that win or lose, scared, or heroic that you love him, appreciate his efforts and are not disappointed in him.
10. Make a point of understanding courage and the fact that it is relative. Some of climb mountains, but fear a fight. Some of us fight, but fear a bee sting. Children must know that courage is not the absence of fear, but acting in the face of fear.
HickoryHusker.com is the best website on Indiana high school basketball. It is a paid site, so the conversation is a much more respectful conversation on the message board. Leigh Evans, who runs it, is a first class individual and Indiana basketball is better because of his efforts.
