I sent out an email to a large number of coaches several years ago asking them to answer one simple question.

What is the one thing you want parents to know?

After reading the responses from over 175 coaches, I was able to capture the spirit of their answers in what I felt was not one thing, but 5 THINGS.

You may not agree with all I have written in this book. I am using my experiences as a former collegiate and professional athlete, a parent of athletes, a high school coach, a collegiate coach at the D-I, D-II and D-III level, and 20 plus years of serving as an Athletic Director at some of the largest and most athletically successful school districts in the State of Texas.

I am almost certain there is nothing in this book that is going to surprise any parents. It offers common sense on acting like an adult when dealing with coaches and game officials, plus specific tips on what you can expect to experience as a parent.

Although very tough at times, allowing your child to learn valuable life lessons by encouraging them to work through adversity on their own may be the most important ‘THING of them all. Coaches are not perfect; they are going to call the wrong play, forget to call a timeout, play the wrong kid, and get confused, possibly all in the same game! In my 20 plus years of being an Athletic Director, it would be a lie for me to say that I never witnessed a coach handle a kid poorly. There will be times when a coach says something they should not have said; or does something they should not have done. It is going to happen.

As a parent you need to determine how you will manage it when it involves your child. Coaching is tough, but not near as tough as parenting. I recognize that fact, and that is why I wrote this book. In athletics, your child will be presented with many situations such as adversity, humility, perseverance, sacrifice, uncertainty, commitment, failure, success, disappointment, victory, and defeat.

As a parent, what role will you play, not if but when, those situations come.