It is true, more than anyone else, the person who sabotages student-athletes from achieving their dreams and goals is the same person who has the biggest influence on student-athletes achieving their goals, the PARENT(s).
I see it in so many ways, that since I wrote my book Don’t Be A Crazy Ass Parent, I have enough new examples to write a sequel.
It isn’t that hard, I say it all the time. “Sit back and enjoy the ride”, yet this seems harder today because the kids are who they are because of the how they are being parented.
From parents jumping on any and every new technique, they hear about regardless of how well their kid was doing and whether the new way fits their kid or not. It is the bat, it must be the bat, parents will buy 10 new bats if they think a hit can be found in the new purchase.
On top of all that you have the “chase the team parent”, the parent who is “down” with the team while asking if their kid can be excused for some personal reason. Or the parent who gets called out on something by the hitting or pitching coach, so they put their tail between their legs and vanish.
Parents look back and wonder why their kids don’t aspire to do great things the way other kids they hear about, yet they have never sat with them to discuss their kid’s dreams and goals. I would say the most remiss thing I see parents do that hurt their kid’s chances of being their best self, is they get focused on other kids, they chase more lessons, more physical skills, specific instructors that they heard or read about and yet their kids mindset is fragile, and their mental toughness is weak.
Do something about it parents and stop messing it up!