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I believe we all want to be good parents. We encourage our children's participation in sports because we believe they (and us) benefit through their involvement in the group experience. We want to believe that our attendance and support helps our children play better on the field. Most of us want what is best for our children on the athletic field. We want a positive environment that teaches the values of positive sportsmanship. We want to be able to go to the field or court each week and anticipate having a fun time watching our children play. Unfortunately, this isn't always what happens. Many of us are not adequately equipped to handle the pressure of being on the sidelines of an intense game. Parents who get caught up in the "Intensity Web" lose their sensibilities. Such intensity can result in embarrassing parental behavior with long-lasting, negative consequences.

Parent Training, El Paso Style

Recently, I had the privilege of being the keynote speaker at "Parent for Youth Sports 2000," an exciting new parent training program in my hometown of El Paso, Texas which parents must complete in order for their children to participate in city-sponsored sports.

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In the fall of 2000, 2700 parents went through our first four-hour training program. Not all parents were happy to be there at the beginning, but the vast majority left the program better educated and determined to make the football sideline a happier, more enjoyable and healthier place to be. Parents For Youth Sports 2000 is already having a positive impact on sideline behavior.

The program will continue throughout the sport calendar to include parents of youth athletes in basketball, baseball and softball. We expect that in the first year we will end up training 10,000 parents. In future columns, I will share information about the program and what's working, what's not.

Performance Consultant and Psychotherapist

I bring to this column 12 years of experience as a psychotherapist in private practice in El Paso. In my practice I have helped numerous parents and youngsters learn better communication skills and ways of managing their emotions. Helping people work through their personal problems also enhances their enjoyment of and performance in life.

Over the past 5 years, I've enhanced and re-defined my clinical skills in order to assist athletes to perform better on the field. As athletes are better able to maintain their focus and concentration, their performance naturally improves. I have developed a system called "Performance Hypnosis" to help athletes improve their focus and concentration skills. As athletes learn to control nervousness and anxiety, they play closer to their optimum levels of ability.

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Five Ways For Sports Parents To Set A Good Example
How To Avoid "Tunnel Vision"
The Team Charter: Blueprint For A Hassle Free Season
When Is Your Child Old Enough for You to Get Involved in Youth Sports

A Model For Better Youth Sports Through Education
Losing Perspective: The Dangers Of  "Tunnel Vision"
On The Border: Sports Parent Training in El-Paso, Texas
Performance Parenting: An Overview

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