The Unquantifiable, Super-Important Indicators that Show Your Child is On The Right Track

Competitive sports expose us — like no other platform.

A child’s day-to-day behavior within team sports will likely reveal many indicators that predict how the child will perform in adult life.

Yes, scoreboard and individual stats are indicators. They might show a commitment to practice or a high athletic aptitude–both great attributes that show intelligence and build long-term confidence.
Yet those indicators only scratch the surface–they are heavily influenced by circumstance such as quality of teammates, league competition and local coaching.  Therefore, they cannot be relied on.

The best indicators are ones that are not counted but parents should be most excited about…and they have absolutely nothing to do with scoreboard statistics.

Instead, we highlight the under-radar, subtle, crucial choices your child makes on a daily basis in context of the team sports–or any team passion he or she might have.

4 Warning Signs Your Child is Awesome

1. Self Reliance
a. Does you child ever practice on his/her own?
b. Independently manage his/her food choices for health and sports performance?
c. Watch sports video or games for learning purposes?
d. Create written goals?
e. Care for his/her equipment–accounting, caring and cleaning?
f. Call friends and organize backyard games?

2. Leadership
a. Provide positive “calls to action” before team practice?
b. Help coaches pick up items like cones, balls or pucks?
c. Console a teammate that made a mistake?
d. Call for a “players only” meeting to correct mistakes?

3. Social Courage
a. Take action to break up social cliques withn the team?
b. Tell a bully to “knock it off” on behalf of a victimized teammate?
c. Provide authentic social support for less skilled player?

4. Humility & Grace
a. After a game, admit mistakes and discuss how to improve?
b. Celebrate with teammates even though he/she did not score?
c. Pay attention and cheer even though he/she is on the bench?

If you answer “yes” to some or many of the above point, you should be super-excited about your child and what their future may hold.

Spirals, hands and feet are no match for self-reliance, leadership, social courage and humility.