A Word to Sports Parents

As one who has raised kids who were involved in youth sports, who has coached youth sports, and who now has grandchildren involved in youth sports, I’ve watched the evolution of parents and their sideline behavior, including an overall decline in civility. I want to share a message shared recently by my oldest son, a high school phys ed teacher who has also coached at the high school and college levels: He says, If you are a parent of an athlete, I urge you to double-check your priorities. Your son or daughter will be a mother or father before an athlete. Your son or daughter should play the game because they love it, not because you love it. Your son or daughter is not defined by performance but by character and attitude. If you feel winning is more important than the hard work and character that is the recipe for winning, then you need to reprioritize your thinking. These are timely words! Parents, how we choose to spectate and play should be seen as an act of worship to our sovereign and holy God.