“THE CAR-RIDE RULES” WHAT YOU CAN DO AS A SPORT PARENT TO HELP BEFORE THE GAME Speak greatness into your child Tell your child you are proud of him or her regardless of how well he or she plays Focus on their attitude and effort Tell your child to play hard and have fun. Remind him or her that it’s okay to be nervous (“Nervous is Normal”) Make a commitment to yourself to act appropriately no matter what others may do DURING THE GAME Understand your role, you are a fan…not a coach or an official Let the coaches coach. Avoid giving your child (or other players) advice during the game Pick the “Right” seat or surrounding for growth Use the “Put-up-Game” to encourage your child and his/her teammates Cheer good plays & good efforts by both teams Mention good calls by the officials to others. Remember to have fun! Enjoy the day Practice self-control routines…do not criticize officials, coaches or especially your child AFTER THE GAME (DAIRY QUEEN) Stick around for the post-game with the team Thank the officials for doing a difficult job Thank the coaches for their effort Utilize the “3 Put-Ups and a Wish” philosophy if you want to give advice Let your child tell you about the game (Avoid giving your post-game analysis unless asked) Ask open-ended questions: “What was the most/least enjoyable part of the game?” “What did you learn from the game?” Tell your child again that you are proud of him or her! (Especially if the game did not go well) Copyright 2007 All Rights Reserved COE Institute