Am I Helping Enough?
Early in our softball journey we noticed that the kid with the newest, high-tech bat was rarely the best hitter. Buying a kid a new glove every few months rarely equated to a high fielding percentage.
And, the kid who took lessons every week, and went to every camp available, was not necessarily the most recruited.
Parents often ask if I will see their daughters twice a week because they respond better to me. No. I want them to respond to their love of the game. I want them to find it so challenging that they cannot wait to try new ideas, get in better physical condition, be the first one on the field and the last to leave, and arrive at lessons with a hunger to adjust and take the best ideas home to perfect on their own. Due to the demand, the distance most kids travel, and the fact that I want them to take responsibility for their own development, my average student sees me once a month or less. I do not function well if we are saying the same thing over and over, week after week. Yes, some of our Certified Instructors are different, so it is partly personality and partly the demand.
A parent recently asked if he was putting his daughter at a disadvantage because they could not afford the newest bat, weekly hitting and pitching lessons, and a big-name travel team. Not at all. This kid was extremely young. Are you kidding?
Last weekend our daughter, Angela, joined me at an event. She related a story. After one session, the dad put his arms around his daughters and said, “I am so proud of you. Did you have fun?” We saw some great athletes, some true talent, and a lot of great kids and parents. But, the one that stood out in her mind was the dad who was cultivating a love for the game in his daughters. If you want to invest in her success, follow his lead. Kids who love what they are doing, who have an awesome experience, who leave the field excited about returning…if you can help create that, you can save your money to buy ice cream and spend quality time with her after a great practice or exciting game.