Brookline Youth Coaches Provide Advice for New Youth Sports Parents

With the new school year upon us, many children will not just be entering their classrooms and breaking open new notebooks, but will be starting up youth sports for the first time. No matter the sport, here is some advice for Brookline parents of youth sport newbies to make the new experience as successful as possible.

- Start out among friends. When registering your child for a new youth sport, try to register them with a friend or two. "They will have more fun if they are on a team with their friends and will have a higher probability of sticking with the sport if they are with their friends," says Scott Hillman, co-director of Brookline Youth Lacrosse.

Another added benefit? Carpooling to games and practice, and easy access to others to practice with if your child wishes to practice outside of the assigned time.

- Participation counts. Post practice or competition, praise your child about participating. If you have specific examples, you can use them, but many coaches believe keeping praise general for the younger set is more effective.

Hillman explains, "General praise is best. Do not dwell on mistakes or criticism. If you do discuss this at all, keep it very brief, very positive/supportive, (i.e. in the spirit of how to improve one's game), and in a friendly manner."

- Let the coaches coach. This is advice belabored by many a youth coach. "Let the coaches coach, the kids play, and the referee/umpires do their job," says Hillman.

Don't try to coach alongside the coach unless asked. Attempting to talk with a coach during practice or a game is not suggested either, unless it is an true emergency.

- Listen to your child's feedback. If a child does not enjoy their first practice, coaches recommend making children give it one more shot. That feeling may result from a lack of friends, nervousness, or the sometimes chaotic nature of the first time doing anything new. If the lack of enjoyment is sustained after a few weeks, then it is the proper time to reevaluate your child's participation.

- Have realistic expectations and goals. You should not go into the endeavor believing your child has an Olympic future ahead of them. At a young age, sports participation should be all about gaining new experiences.

"Remember that this is about your child having fun, getting exercise, and learning to be a good teammate," reminds Hillman.