Game Day

The reason videotaping children playing sports is so popular is because it gives the entire family a chance to see them growing up and having fun. How can you shoot video footage of your child playing sports that you and your family will want to watch again and again? Here are some tips.

Young players need to learn from their mistakes, as much as from their successes. Not only do they get confused if parents and coaches are constantly yelling criticism or plays, all that yelling can do long-lasting psychological damage.

Some of the things adults yell at children at soccer games are just downright hilarious. Like the coach who yelled at a 6-year-old, "Give him a target on the flank!" Maybe kids should start shouting back and give an earful right back to the loudmouths on the sideline.

No matter how talented your child may be, there are going to days when he doesn't play his best, or when, despite his best effort, his team loses.  How you manage both the ups, and the inevitable downs, will play a large role in whether your child has a successful youth sports experience.  Here are ten things to keep in mind after your child's team loses or he doesn't perform up to his expectations.

Women, particularly the mothers who volunteer, are often the backbone of what makes a youth sports team work smoothly.
Unfortunately, as with dads, when it comes to their own child's sports team, a mom's greatest strengths can become weaknesses that can cause problems for her child and his/her coach. 

Clearly, some parents are taking children's games far too seriously. The games are for our children, yet time and time again, we are witness to parents losing control. What lessons are our children learning when they see mothers and fathers yelling insults at referees, hands clenched, faces red with anger?

Everyone involved in youth sports has a role to play: players play; coaches coach; officials officiate; and spectators sit in the stands or stand on the sidelines and cheer positively. Nine out of ten incidents of bad sportsmanship occurs where people stray from their role. If everyone followed the golden rule of sportsmanship - to know their role and stay within it - the result would be fewer people misbehaving at youth sports competitions.

Good sideline behavior by parents sets the right example for your
children. Here are some ways you can demonstrate good sportsmanship on the sidelines at your child's game.

Kids, especially under twelve, are always seeking their parents' approval. Negative labels and generalizations and criticism can have a devastating emotional impact. If you critique your child's performance, she will interpret your anger, disapproval, and disappointment as meaning that you don't love her anymore-that your love is conditional.

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.