Coach Ed Science
  • Home
  • Intro
  • PS (1-4)
  • PS (5-9)
  • PS (10-14)
  • PS (15-18)
  • PS (19-21)
  • Space Exploration
  • Warriors Hoops
  • Summer Basketball Camps
  • Flying Pumpkins, 2020
  • Literacy
  • #getBETTER Hoops at Home
  • Coach's Corner
  • NOVA Nation
  • Villa Drills
  • Improving Your Shooting
  • Footwork Drills
  • Bball Skills & Drills
  • USA Basketball Tips
  • Things to Ponder
  • Motivation
  • Sportsmanship
  • Thoughts from Paul Harvey
  • Cool Links & Games

Coach's Corner

“It never ceases to surprise me at the infinite capacity of the human mind to resist the introduction of useful knowledge.”
- Thomas Raynesford Lounsbury

Dear parents: I want your kid to fail

4/25/2017

0 Comments

 
Yes, you read that right. I want your kid to fail. Specifically, I want your kid to fail in basketball, and the earlier he or she can start failing, the better. I am so convinced of the positive value of failure that I believe you, as a parent, should actually hope your child fails. Why? Because it’s the only way they can truly succeed in the game and beyond.
Basketball is perfect for learning how to deal with adversity and failure. The consequences are minimal compared to many circumstances our players will face as adults. And relative to those truly trying situations, the pressure to find a solution is low. It’s the perfect venue to learn from mistakes, to develop a sense of responsibility, to learn how to communicate with adults, and to practice conflict resolution.
Imagine a player who experiences adversity and struggles during a long losing season but learns to battle every game despite the odds. Envision this same player, tired and exhausted from a long semester, battling through the last few hours of a college exam. And can’t you see it now, this same player as an adult bouncing back after a bad week at work, when the sales numbers just didn’t meet company expectations?
But for some reason, our culture doesn’t embrace failure. Instead we shun it and attempt to do everything in our power to protect our children from it. Rather than enduring that long, losing season, we look to move homes, change associations, or find a “better” club team. We will argue better than any elite defense lawyer, debating the meaning of every word the coach spoke, instead of letting our players learn to be accountable for their own actions.
I understand some parents might say, “But the coach treated my player unfairly! I’m not a crazy parent. I’ve asked around. The coach made a poor decision and unfairly punished my player.” First of all, I don’t believe there is a coach who is completely fair. At some level, whether it’s in regard to the attention they give to each player, the allocation of court time or enforcement of rules, the coach will make a decision that’s unfair. But do we not face unfair situations outside of sports, and isn’t it worthwhile to learn how to deal with them?
If you’re a parent, I hope you at least consider this advice. There are times when a parent needs to protect their child. However, these instances are quite rare. In the majority of cases, the best solution is for the player to take control of the issue. If they are allowed and encouraged to do so, they’ll learn a lot and be better basketball players, students and people as a result.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Dave Edinger has been coaching basketball for 37 years at the high school, middle school. and international levels. As a head coach, his teams have won 572 games.

    Archives

    January 2022
    December 2021
    September 2021
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed