I love T-ball.
I admitted at the
beginning of the season that I wasn't thrilled with the boys playing T-ball. But we ended up have a great season! I'm so glad Joel vetoed me and we let the boys play this year!!
From observing opposing teams, coaches and parents over the last 2 months, I can state that, without a doubt, we had the BEST team in the T-ball division!
With that said, I give you my
4 tips to make T-Ball tons of fun for kids and parents:
Start with a
coach who is patient, excited about T-ball, wants to be the coach and models good sportsmanship for the kids. I never heard our coach speak harshly to or act frustrated with our players. I think that speaks volumes about our coach.
Next add
committed and involved DADS (or men) for the assistant coaches and helpers. It's so important for boys to have their dads (men) involved in their activities. We had several boys on our team who live with single moms so I think it was especially important for them to have these men taking an interest in them every week. This impressed me greatly!
Then add
encouraging parents who stay for practice and games. Parents on our team cheered for everyone's children - including the opposing team! NO ONE shouted anything ugly or put unnecessary pressure on the children. And every time a child came to bat or ran home he looked in the stands to see if mom and dad were watching. Parental support cannot be underestimated for kids!
Finally, invite as many
friends and extended family members to attend the games as possible. We were able to have 2 different sets of friends each come to a game. My boys loved being able to share the experience of the game with them and they definitely enjoyed the attention our friends gave. One player on our team had her parents, sibling, aunts/uncles, and grandparents at almost every game. Such attention tells kids they are important and valuable.
I realize that some of these tips are out of your control but if you can make them happen, I promise you'll have a great T-ball season, too!
What tips do you have for allowing your children to play organized sports?
