Three Questions I Am Asked Most

Parents often come with great questions, but three of them might surprise you… not the question itself, but the answers.  Here we go.

1-How can I get my daughter to…….(you can fill in the blank)?  Wrong question.  It is up to her, not you.  It is her game, her goals, and her desire.  Inspire her, challenge her, praise her, be tough when needed.  Give her information and make opportunities available, but don’t try to do it for her.  Let her choose the path, let her make small mistakes, and allow her to take ownership.  She will be more committed the process if she feels responsibility.  She will grow and mature.

2-I think her mental game is weak.  What should I do?  Answer:  First and foremost, make sure her physical game is strong.  The vast majority of times a parent brings a new student to me who needs to be more confident or competitive, it is her physical game that is off course.  She does not have efficient movement patterns.  Her body is doing so many things that get in the way of the pitch.  When we fix that, the mind joins the fun.  I don’t care how confident you are, you will never beat Caitlyn Clark in basketball until you do the work she has done.

3-Why were your daughters so successful?  Answer:  I have no idea.  I was naïve, inexperienced, and I made a lot of mistakes.  I had no experienced Instructors in our area to help me, so I just did the best that I could. I probably did far more things wrong than right, but I think the key is in that last sentence.  They saw me doing the best that I could so they gave me the best that they could.  Who could ask for more from partners working toward a dream?.