Do you want your child to be successful?
The simple answer is yes…of course!
Since 1993 I have had the pleasure of coaching and mentoring in many environments. I have spent time with skiers, hockey players, entrepreneurs and golfers.
How do I define success?
Regardless of the chosen sport or activity, the people I have worked with who were/are the most successful have all had strong similarities. With that said, let me establish something right away…I measure success by where life has taken them not sport.
Success in sport is always short-lived regardless of career length. Athletes will spend more years of their life being measured for their character than they will their athletic achievements. This needs to be emphasized young.
People who are successful in all aspects have a similar state of mind and character. Bottom line they were all coachable people. The list of things that make an athlete coachable is endless.
Important to note these are not sport skills as much as they are life skills. Empower your child with some solid skills early and they will be successful regardless of the career direction they pursue.
What should the focus be?
Always keep the focus on personal growth and success rather than athletic achievement. Show them it is more important to be liked for who they are than it is to be idolized for what they do. Bottom line, be good people who display a genuine interest and curiosity in others.
Lead by example and teach them to celebrate the achievements of those around them before patting themselves on the back. Good leaders are simply happy to be a part of success whether it is theirs or someone else’s.
Empower them to be problem solvers and let them know they are capable of handling adversity. Never allow them to grumble about a player, coach or problem behind the issue. Teach them how to engage thins face-to-face and be open to working with those involved to come up with a plan.
Always let them know they have a role to play in every solution and it is important they maintain perspective, respect and accountability when addressing concerns with others. They need to be the first to say “What can I do to help this situation move forward?”
Our job as parents, coaches and mentors.
We have a responsibility as parents, teachers and coaches and it extends way beyond the development of physical skills. We need to work together and spend more time modelling positive character traits and habits for our future leaders…sport or otherwise.
Have the BEST day you can!
Trevor Moore, CPGA, TPI-CGFI, CFI
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