PAL-MAC YOUTH BASEBALL, INC.: Ten Comandments
Ten Commandments for Parents of Young Athletes
Ten Commandments of Championship Athletic Parents
1. Thou shalt not be negative with thy son nor with thy daughter. Thou shalt positively encourage them, helping them to know they will accomplish by being part of a team.
2. Thou shalt not place blame if thy son nor if thy daughter playest not, but thou shalt be supportive and shalt encourage thy child to do their very best.
3. Thou shalt not speak of the coaches with criticism. For the coaches, like parents, represent authority. In our complex society, parental criticism doth create doubt in the mind of thine athlete, and thus, render the coach ineffective. Thus, also, creating an athlete that shalt become a complainer, not a doer.
4. Remember, their health and to encourage thy son and thy daughter to thus live the life of an athlete, even off the field. Daily shalt an athlete have proper diet. Nightly shalt they have proper rest, that they may be strong physically and mentally.
5. Thou shalt honor thy child by insisting on good grades, that thereby passing, thine athlete might also play. That by being a successful athlete, thy child might also be thus, a successful person.
6. Thou shalt not live thy life through the life of thy son or thy daughter. Thy child is the athlete, let them, thus play. Also, thou shalt not covet nor bear animosity toward teammates of thy child. Remember always, thy child wilt follow the example thou settest.
7. Thou shalt not be the coach, but thou shalt support the coach, that he shalt daily use his training to thus recognize the individual abilities of each athlete on his team.
8. Thou shalt understand the athletic pyramid. The more thy athlete doth progress, the more difficult it doth become to succeed. Thou wilt be required to show more parental support and understanding the higher up the pyramid thy child doth climb.
9. Thou shalt remember each of thy children as individuals. The athletic success of one child does not guarantee the success of another child. Thy child is thus unique to themselves. The battle thy child must face is against thy child only, against taking the line of least resistance, against not working toward their own self-improvement. To compare thy child, one against the other, thou mayest cause irreparable damage, thou shalt avoid such comparisons at all cost.
10. Thou shalt love thy son and thy daughter for the Gift they are to you, not for their athletic accomplishments.
