10 Commandments for Parents of Athletes

1) Thou shalt not impose your ambitions on your child. Remember that the sport is for your child's own enjoyment and education. Do not emphasize winning over teamwork. Do not judge your child's progress based on the performance of others, but rather how he is improving in relation to his previous ability.

2) Thou shalt be supportive, no matter what. If you want your child to continue in a sport over the long run, she must have fun. If she doesn't enjoy the sport, it will never work out.

3) Thou shalt not coach your child from the stands. You have taken your child to a trained and certified coach. If you can do a better job get out of the stands and in the trenches. Otherwise, do not give conflicting messages that will only confuse the athlete.

4) Thou shalt say only positive things at games. Be supportive, cheer and applaud. Never criticize your child, other children, officials or coaches. This is your big chance to set a good example for behavior you expect from your child.

5) Thou shalt acknowledge your children's fears. What might be very entertaining for you can be very stressful for your athlete. Don't belittle that fear or your child. Quiet support will go a long way.

6) Thou shalt not criticize the officials. If you yell at or abuse an official, don't be surprised when your child models your behavior and acts out against other authority figures in his life. He learned it from you.

7) Honor thy child's coach. If you have a legitimate complaint, approach the coach in private and be reasonable. It will be much easier for both of you and not send conflicting messages to the athlete. All of us accept criticism much better without a crowd.

8) Thou shalt set more important goals than winning. You can win many games with poor effort and attitude, depending on your opponents. Remove outsiders from the equation of success and concentrate on team work, personal growth and mental maturity .If you set success based on the weaknesses or strengths of your opponent, you will never push yourself to the limit.

9) Thou shalt place your child first. Ask yourself if you are trying to live your life through the successes of your child. If her success means more to you than it does to the athlete, you are in serious risk of pushing your child too hard. If you want to be that driven, go out and play a sport yourself (you are never too old!).

10) Thou shalt not expect your child to become a star. Every parent dreams of their own child becoming a major league player. It is more realistic to use sports to teach your child work ethics, teamwork, and the value of not giving up when you are down.