The following comes from high school football coach George Curry. It's his list of "10 Don'ts" that he gives to the parents of players. He tell the parents they will follow these if they sincerely want the sons to be successful.1. Don’t try to live your lives through your son.
You had your chance to be young. Let your youngster do his thing. Don’t force football or any sport down his throat.
2. Don’t be negative with your son.
It rubs off. If you complain about why your son isn’t in the starting lineup, he will do the same. Be positive. Motivate and encourage your son.
3. Don’t be unrealistic.
The good Lord gave all of us certain abilities. Accept your son as he is. We would all like to be big, tall, handsome, intelligent, and strong, but it doesn’t happen that way. Accept what the Lord blessed you with and go on with your life. Make the best of it. It’s the same in football—someone may be bigger, faster, tougher, or smarter. Know your son’s limitations and encourage him to make the best of it. Accept his role on the team.
4. Don’t know the coaching staff.
How can you expect your son to perform to his fullest if all he hears from you about the coach is negative? The coach represents authority. You will give your youngster the wrong message if you ridicule the coach or his teachers. Support the coach’s rules, philosophies, playbook and so on.
5. Don’t be envious of other players.
Treat each player as if he were your son. Don’t dislike a player because you don’t like his parents.
6. Don’t be a know-it-all.
Coaches work with youngsters 12 months of the year. They spend many hours with these youngsters in situations that their parents may never see. In some cases, coaches know more about the player than the parents do. Don’t exert pressure on your son by telling him things he shouldn’t have to hear. Be a good role model. Let the coaches coach.
7.Don’t be an absent parent.
Monitor your son’s grades. Insist that your son study and earn good grades. If you put academics first, your son will be more successful.
8. Don’t neglect your son’s social activities.
Monitor his friends, hangouts, girlfriend, curfew, language, rules, and so on. Talk to your son about drugs, alcohol, and tobacco use. Encourage your son to make the right choices. If you don’t communicate well in these areas, the wrong people may influence your son.
9. Don’t be selfish.
Don’t use football for the wrong reasons. Don’t push your son to play for a scholarship. Doing so pressures him unduly. If he is good enough, he will earn a scholarship. Let him play because he loves the game.
10. Don’t baby your son.
Sever the umbilical cord. It’s a tough world out there. Let him begin preparing for it by not babying him. Let the coaches push your son. Let the coaches make him tougher mentally by challenging him. A youngster can learn mental toughness regardless of whether he plays.
