SUPPORT YOUR KIDS TEAM IN A POSITIVE FASHION

FROM LAXMAGAZINE.COM

by Paul Krome | LaxMagazine.com | Twitter

Parents drawing undue attention to themselves during their child's lacrosse activities may need to pause. Negative behavior could damage their kid's experience and eliminate opportunities before they even begin, especially in the college recruiting process for high school players.

"When we recruit, we recruit the whole family. So being a positive, enthusiastic parent only helps your daughter in the recruiting process," Johns Hopkins women's coach Janine Tucker said.

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Seven Points for Parents 1. Beware the recruiting racket. 2. Seek the best experience (and not necessarily the best team). 3. Ask the right questions. 4. Respect boundaries. 5. Support your kid's team in a positive fashion. 6. Beware the burnout factor. 7. Encourage your kid to play multiple sports. Adapted from the March 2014 edition of Lacrosse Magazine. Join US Lacrosse to start your subscription.

Tucker offered these tips for parents to engage positively in the child's lacrosse experience:

• Embrace your child's team as yours and be a good teammate, with the according positive energy and support. Your child's teammates are his or her brothers or sisters.

• Recognize the reality of players, coaches and officials making mistakes.

• Learn what you can control, such as supporting effort and hustle by your child and team, and what you can't control, such as a call made by an official.

• Have a discussion with your child before the season and ask how you can be supportive. "A high school player should be old enough to talk about what helps her succeed as an athlete and what hurts," Tucker said. "Something along the lines of, 'Dad, when you're screaming at me, my teammates or the officials, that brings me down. It doesn't help.'"

• If your child is good enough to play collegiately, learn about potential future coaches' interaction policies during the recruiting process — and respect them once your child enrolls. "Every program is different. For us, parents can call us about anything except playing time," Tucker said. "If coaches don't want or have time for interactions, you have to respect that because you knew it from the beginning."