Must Read for ALL Parents

http://www.mac-n-seitz.com/teams/mike-matheny-letter.html?fwcc=1&fwcl=1&fwl

This letter was written by a youth coach to the parents of his baseball team, but it has application to all parents. BTW - the youth coach that wrote this letter, is currently the Manager of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Soccersoccer wrote:http://www.mac-n-seitz.com/teams/mike-matheny-letter.html?fwcc=1&fwcl=1&fwl

This letter was written by a youth coach to the parents of his baseball team, but it has application to all parents. BTW - the youth coach that wrote this letter, is currently the Manager of the St. Louis Cardinals.

lol, you forgot the next letter he wrote:

Hi I am looking for 8-10 kids to fill spots on my team, parents welcome to be loud, involved, discuss kids playing at any time with me. all parental involvement ok. call me, please. no really call me,please, i need this gig.

Soccersoccer wrote:http://www.mac-n-seitz.com/teams/mike-matheny-letter.html?fwcc=1&fwcl=1&fwl

This letter was written by a youth coach to the parents of his baseball team, but it has application to all parents. BTW - the youth coach that wrote this letter, is currently the Manager of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Great read.
And he is right.

I wish more coaches would heed this. It drives me crazy when kids miss due to vacations and the kids who worked hard and made it to games and practices (and did quite well in the other kids absence) are shown the bench when the vacation is over(full disclosure-it wasn't my kid who was affected):

I know that there will be times when I am going to miss either for family reasons, for other commitments. If your son misses a game or a practice, it is not the end of the world, but there may be some sort of repercussion, just out of respect for the kids that put the effort into making it. The kind of repercussions could possibly be running, altered playing time, or position in the batting order.

Also wish more parents would stop coaching on the sideline and belly-aching over every call, but you definitely need a coach to be on the refs if the parents are expected to be silent.

S0cc3rD@d wrote:I wish more coaches would heed this. It drives me crazy when kids miss due to vacations and the kids who worked hard and made it to games and practices (and did quite well in the other kids absence) are shown the bench when the vacation is over(full disclosure-it wasn't my kid who was affected):

I know that there will be times when I am going to miss either for family reasons, for other commitments. If your son misses a game or a practice, it is not the end of the world, but there may be some sort of repercussion, just out of respect for the kids that put the effort into making it. The kind of repercussions could possibly be running, altered playing time, or position in the batting order.

Also wish more parents would stop coaching on the sideline and belly-aching over every call, but you definitely need a coach to be on the refs if the parents are expected to be silent.

Yes, they should . But they won't here. Why? Because we live in a relegation world. You would be crazy to sit a star and lose a game in this system. No coach will risk relegation for principle. We as parents are largely to blame for supporting this system.

Yes, they should . But they won't here. Why? Because we live in a relegation world. You would be crazy to sit a star and lose a game in this system. No coach will risk relegation for principle. We as parents are largely to blame for supporting this system.

It is a shame because the kids that normally are on the bench should get the opportunity to start, even if it is for 10-15 minutes a half. In high school basketball, I went from backup to starter over the Christmas holiday when the starter got in trouble. Even though he was more talented offensively, I threw my body after ever loose ball I saw and wound up starting the rest of the year. If kids don't see that their effort can be rewarded it can be self-defeating as they see other kids handed the starting position and not always deservedly so.

I think I'm going to use this letter as inspiration for my fall team.

S0cc3rD@d wrote:I wish more coaches would heed this. It drives me crazy when kids miss due to vacations and the kids who worked hard and made it to games and practices (and did quite well in the other kids absence) are shown the bench when the vacation is over(full disclosure-it wasn't my kid who was affected):

I know that there will be times when I am going to miss either for family reasons, for other commitments. If your son misses a game or a practice, it is not the end of the world, but there may be some sort of repercussion, just out of respect for the kids that put the effort into making it. The kind of repercussions could possibly be running, altered playing time, or position in the batting order.

Also wish more parents would stop coaching on the sideline and belly-aching over every call, but you definitely need a coach to be on the refs if the parents are expected to be silent.

I have found it to be just the opposite. If the coach is on the refs alot the parents (and players sometimes) follow his example and do the same.
The coaching drives me crazy too. Had a coach one time have a talk about that went like this. " Parents please fell free to do all the coaching you want" everyone just stared in shock. Then he continued " Just come see me after the meeting with your $500 check for the D license class and have at it as soon as you complete the course."