Monthly Archives: June 2013

It’s Simple Really…

So, a great article on what makes a great sports parent, or a nightmare sports parent –  can be found by clicking here from Bruce E. Brown and Rob Miller.

Bottom line?  Ride home (very important.) Get in car, start car, turn to child: ” You know? I love to watch you play!”  Add hug, high five, fist bump, kiss, whatever… then, shut it. What I love about this piece is that they ASKED KIDS…kids who are playing, and “kids” who played…college kids and grads.  Overwhelmingly, kids really just don’t want you to criticize or coach.  Favorite take away: “let them bring the game to you.”  In other words “if I want your advice I’ll ask for it…”

Have fun out there this weekend, and if there needs to be some sort of anonymous “shaming” to keep the nightmare parents in line…drop us a line at TFTB!

@tftbleachers on twitter,OR click to email

 

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100 Games in 100 Days: Day 7

Day 7: FOOTBALL!!  So, as high school football goes there are a certain number of practices where the boys can wear the whole get up – and go play sort of real games. Then, during summer, not so much the full get up and no hitting etc.  SO – when the kids get to suit up in early summer for a scrimmage the fanatics get excited.    I’ll have a new perspective this year – I have a kid starting in a position that, well, gets the glory and gets the blame for lots of stuff.  And we know football fans aren’t known for tact, or keeping feelings, umm, bottled up.  Even at our friendly neighborhood scrimmage on my day 7 of 100 I overheard a little of this and a little of that. As a parent, whether the kid is 6, 16 or, I’m guessing 26 (poor Mrs. Tebo…but, she’s got the Big Guy on her side…) your instinct is to do that thing in that one Indiana Jones movie…and you really think you can at that moment, just push your hand-as-claw right through the chest of another human and rip out their beating heart,  hold it up for them to fully comprehend the horror, then laugh maniacally….not sure exactly what I’m supposed to do then, but – am I right?  Anyone? You with me?   Well, you will be…trust me.

On to day 8! (maybe a nice 5-year-old soccer game is in order…)

Careful what you say about my kid...

Careful what you say about my kid…

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100 Games in 100 Days: Day 6

Day 6: Baseball.  So for High School ball, when we have home games, the parents staff concession stand, score board operation, and announcer role.   (yes, we have announcers – what? no, we just announce the kid who is at bat – what? YES WE HAVE WALK UP MUSIC for each kid – what do you think this is? Bush league??)

We are all housed in what we affectionately call, the “snack shack.”  In years past, I guess I just showed up and would pop in there if asked to help.  Now that some kids have graduated, and others are playing a different summer league, I realize now how much I miss the women who ran that ship like a stinking military assignment.  Yes, yes, last season I would have, should have, had a rich, robust snarky blog about them – how to make the burgers, how to wrap them in foil, where the chocolate is positioned v. the skittles – how to dispense the hot cheese glug on the 6-month old nachos. I mean, these women had it FIGURED OUT.  Who the hell am I to think this is just a day at the ball park? Because I’m telling you this gig requires some serious skills.  And I’m not just talking sales, people, and counting-change-in-your-head skills.  The announcer’s/score booth sits above the snack shack.  In order to run the scoreboard you really need to have completed an advance degree in engineering – and God help the numbskull who misses a strike or posts a run on the opposite team’s total!  You want to see an unruly parent during a close game? Put up a run on the other team’s total and sit back and wait for about 15 minutes while the rumbling turns into mentioning to shouting up at the box. It’s rich I tell you. Rich.  Anyway, here’s my tribute, you know who you are:

Here’s to the gang that manages snacks, they’re bossy and witty and don’t take no crap. If you need some peanuts some seeds or a dew, they are there…there for you.

Thanks to the dads who keep track of the score, but please don’t play country between innings no more.

xo TFTB

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100 Games in 100 Days – Day 1-5

Day 1.  June 1: Baseball. A harsh loss is dealt to our newly formed summer HS team. New chemistry, new field. And new whiners.  Here’s how it works: HS Baseball season is Spring. Super short. Move to Summer ball through July.  Every year there is a new crop of Freshmen. This year, a few made JV, most made Freshmen team, some got cut. Ouch. Here is another opportunity to observe the tendency for parents to turn a blind eye to a child’s possible short-comings in a particular sport. It should be noted that most kids, whether 5, 15 or 25 roll with it all.  When we refer to Whiners, kooks, freaks and nut-jobs in this blog, we’re pretty much always referring to the parents 😉  We do observe some off-spring that are just real gems from time to time, but in those cases rest assured that you’ll know it’s a pre or just post-pubescent we are talking about…next….

Day 2. June 2nd: Basketball.  Here’s how summer hoops works – you play a couple times a week, usually back to back games.  Unfortunately, Jack decided to really kick off his summer with a day at the pool, followed by running amok, followed by a sleep over at a friends.  Hmm, the walking dead on the court today.  As we say in summer ball…”hey, it’s summer ball.”

Day 3.  June 3rdt: Baseball.  Much better day at the diamond!  Except for one very sad note, big sis home from college shows up with beverages for all – mom promptly shuts that down. Newsflash: playing at High School fields has its drawbacks.  Okay one drawback…yeah, no Red Solo Cupping.  Where is the tiki bar at Steamboat little league fields when you need it?

Day 4. June 4th. Basketball.  We got a howler!  Finally, a game with a crazy mama.  Did I mention that summer hoops is usually a mellow affair? Really just a few weeks of (a lot) of fancy practices – technically tho, games (refs, fans, uniforms, for reals.)  So with that, of course, comes a few that take EVERY performance as to the death, serious, potential college scholarships on the line…hey mama!  So yes, she is getting her whoot whoot on – on one hand thrilling (that spirit resulted in this blog after all) but on the other, extremely out of proportion for the event.  Onward crazy mama, onward.

Day 5.  June 5th. Baseball.  Friend’s youth ball player’s game. T-ball and “coach pitch” – those who are there, and those who have been there – dropped pop ups, running directly from 1st to 3rd, tears, tantrums…love it, funny, super cute right?  Not for the father who has been counting the days for his kid to hit the sand lot…this is NOT cute, this is NOT funny.  You, sir, have a long road ahead – and Mrs. Father?  Batten down the hatches.  On a lighter note, the whole outing was made worthwhile when our neighbor’s boy (not to be confused with crazy dad referenced herein,) after donning an athletic cup for his first time, promptly yanked it out and handed it to mom immediately following the game: “here you go mom.”  “Thanks honey, thank you very much.”  And….there off!

next up FOOTBALL SCRIMMAGE!  (Weird, but I can’t wait…what is happening to me?)

Oxygen anyone? (my kids LOVE that joke!)

Oxygen anyone? (my kids LOVE that joke!)

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