Heaven help me, I don't want to become a helicopter parent.

[Braincase]

I've always been pretty good about being a low-key sports parent. Drop the kids off at practice, go do something else for an hour, go back and pick them up.

That's going to change.

Tonight I picked my daughters up from basketball practice. They're in 5th and 6th grade, playing in a 5/6 league sponsored by Parks & Rec. I originally signed them both up to play for the same team my oldest daughter played for last year, and I wanted to keep them together, but something happened and there weren't enough spots open for both of my daughters on that team. We got reassigned to a new team, patchwork, with a couple of moms coaching. One mom who is suposed to be the head coach seems pretty nice. The other is taking over the team, setting up her 4th grader (yeah, playing up) as the star of the team which essentially means ball hog.

My youngest daughter was in tears on the way home from practice tonight begging for me to put her on a different team.

They've got my oldest daughter playing a 1-2 when she's always played a 4 or a 5 (aggressive rebounder and shot blocker, average scorer). My youngest is playing the 2 as well, when she's more of a 3-4 (this one is going to be 6 feet tall).

The fourth grader is a helluvan athlete, but she makes stupid mistakes, picking up her dribble without having a freakin' clue where she's going to put the ball, turnovers, bad shot selection, and zero passing.

My kids have always been coached from a team perspective. Balanced scoring, work the ball inside, get the easy shot, rebound, cherry pick, play good defense.

I guess it's time for me to start showing up . I had intended to coach my 6th graders CYO team after the Parks & Rec season was done, but a bunch of the girls decided to play volleyball instead. I might have to put my whistle back on anyway.

Lord, help me keep my head on straight, and help me be fair. I want to be a good parent & coach. If I do this, I want all the kids to improve as individuals and team players.

[KcMizzou]

Originally Posted by L.A.Chieffan

I got a couple of little people that live with me and eat my food and watch my TV and stuff. Am i being too controlling?

Not unless you make them fetch beers.

[Mecca]

I'm never having kids that's all there is to it.

[ClevelandBronco]

My daughter had the best soccer coach imaginable.

It was a city rec league team made up of a bunch of girls who attended the same small private school.

There were three girls on the team that had the ability to take themselves to the next level. The rest were there to socialize, mostly. The coach made sure that he taught the fundamentals to all the girls, and he worked to each girl's ability and talent. When his daughter was ready to play in a competitive league, he stopped coaching.

He never let anyone know if he cared whether the team won or lost. He smiled and laughed and joked with the players, the parents and the officials through practices and games. He kept all the parents on the sidelines loose. He taught each girl how to play, and how to enjoy playing, even if she couldn't play worth a damn when it was all said and done.

The three girls who should have made it are playing JV soccer now. The other girls and their parents remember the four years we all spent together very fondly.

My daughter does not play these days, but when she did she played for a great coach.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Mecca

I'm never having kids that's all there is to it.

And Bono and Angelina Jolie breathe a sigh of relief

[007]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

And Bono and Angelina Jolie breathe a sigh of relief

[Braincase]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

And Bono and Angelina Jolie breathe a sigh of relief

DOWN GOES FRAZIER! DOWN GOES FRAZIER!

Followup: I sent both coaches an email last night asking what kind of offensive set they were running, so I could work with them after school when time permits.

TinyEvel: In basketball, the numbers typically mean the following..

1. Point Guard
2. Shooting Guard
3. Small Forward
4. Power Forward
5. Center

Hope that helps.

[Demonpenz]

I am going to be an airwolf dad. Hiding out in a mountain and come and blow shit up for a half with earnest borgnine

[Kylo Ren]

Originally Posted by Braincase

I've always been pretty good about being a low-key sports parent. Drop the kids off at practice, go do something else for an hour, go back and pick them up.

That's going to change.

Tonight I picked my daughters up from basketball practice. They're in 5th and 6th grade, playing in a 5/6 league sponsored by Parks & Rec. I originally signed them both up to play for the same team my oldest daughter played for last year, and I wanted to keep them together, but something happened and there weren't enough spots open for both of my daughters on that team. We got reassigned to a new team, patchwork, with a couple of moms coaching. One mom who is suposed to be the head coach seems pretty nice. The other is taking over the team, setting up her 4th grader (yeah, playing up) as the star of the team which essentially means ball hog.

My youngest daughter was in tears on the way home from practice tonight begging for me to put her on a different team.

They've got my oldest daughter playing a 1-2 when she's always played a 4 or a 5 (aggressive rebounder and shot blocker, average scorer). My youngest is playing the 2 as well, when she's more of a 3-4 (this one is going to be 6 feet tall).

The fourth grader is a helluvan athlete, but she makes stupid mistakes, picking up her dribble without having a freakin' clue where she's going to put the ball, turnovers, bad shot selection, and zero passing.

My kids have always been coached from a team perspective. Balanced scoring, work the ball inside, get the easy shot, rebound, cherry pick, play good defense.

I guess it's time for me to start showing up . I had intended to coach my 6th graders CYO team after the Parks & Rec season was done, but a bunch of the girls decided to play volleyball instead. I might have to put my whistle back on anyway.

Lord, help me keep my head on straight, and help me be fair. I want to be a good parent & coach. If I do this, I want all the kids to improve as individuals and team players.

Who cares? They're just children. None of them are going to be pro athletes. Teach your daughter that lift is hard and it's not always fair. Teach her to work 10x harder than the 4th grade girl and beat her out of the starting spot. Even if she doesn't get the spot, she'll benefit from the ethic of hard work. I don't know why parents continually fall prey to this kind of stuff. It's NOT life and death. It's just a children's basketball team. Sit back and enjoy it. They'll only be kids once. Sorry to be harsh. The topic of modern day parents and their obsession with their child's sports is a pet peeve of mine. Just make sure they get good grades in school and marry a good spouse. That's what real life is about, not basketball.

[Kylo Ren]

Originally Posted by luv

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicopter_parent

Helicopter parent is a colloquial, early 21st-century term for a parent who pays extremely close attention to his or her child's or children's experiences and problems, particularly at educational institutions. These parents rush to prevent any harm or failure from befalling them and will not let them learn from their own mistakes, sometimes even contrary to the children's wishes. They are so named because, like helicopters, they hover closely overhead, rarely out of reach, whether their children need them or not. In Scandinavia, this phenomenon is known as curling parenthood and describes parents who attempt to sweep all obstacles out of the paths of their children.

An extension of the term, "Black Hawk parents," has been coined for those who cross the line from a mere excess of zeal to unethical behavior, such as writing their children's college admission essays. (The reference is to the military helicopter of the same name.) Some college professors and administrators are now referring to "Lawnmower parents" to describe mothers and fathers who attempt to smooth out and mow down all obstacles, to the extent that they may even attempt to interfere at their children's workplaces, regarding salaries and promotions, after they have graduated from college and are supposedly living on their own.

Oh, good Lord. The END is truely near.

[Mr. Plow]

Originally Posted by Braincase

If I do this, I want all the kids to improve as individuals and team players.

Good luck with that....seriously. I'm in the same mindset as you - don't focus on one individual, try to get the TEAM to succeed.....or at the very least, let everyone have fun and learn the game. Unfortunately, in today's world of parents sacrificing school & education for sports, we are becoming a rare breed.

[Demonpenz]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

Good luck with that....seriously. I'm in the same mindset as you - don't focus on one individual, try to get the TEAM to succeed.....or at the very least, let everyone have fun and learn the game. Unfortunately, in today's world of parents sacrificing school & education for sports, we are becoming a rare breed.

You know it's sad but true............/metallica

[Braincase]

Originally Posted by GoAwayGunther_Fan

Teach her to work 10x harder than the 4th grade girl and beat her out of the starting spot.

My daughters are starters. Problem is the 4th grader plays the point and won't pass the ball - she either turns it over when she gets trapped in a corner or she takes bad shots from way outside that 18 feet away off the rim where the trees can't pull in a rebound because they're on the baseline where they're supposed to be.