This week, the weekly parent tip focuses on respecting officials, a component of the Honoring the Game code: ROOTS
Responsible Sports Parent Tip of the Week:
“Some officials are learning the game, just like your child. Avoid criticizing them when you think they’ve made a mistake. Officials have a tough job, and we couldn’t have games without them.”
During competition it’s easy to forget that the officials may very well be just beginning to referee softball games, and learning as they go. Respecting officials is one component of ROOTS, the acronym that stands for Rules, Opponents, Officials, Teammates and Self, which helps us remember the code of Honoring the Game.
In this article, you’ll read how to honor officials, and how our actions as Responsible Sport Parents carry over to the actions of our players and what you can do prepare your young athletes to not overreact, which can be the basis of bad sportsmanship.
To start, think about how your athlete would react to a questionable call on the field. Would you approve of their reactions? Would the coach know how to control his or her emotions and Honor the Game? Read how to respond to this scenario and access the downloadable PDF’s to bring to games!
Read more about Honoring Officials>>
The Liberty Mutual Responsible SportsTM program supports volunteer youth sports coaches and parents who help our children succeed both on and off the field. We offer many youth sports resources including $2,500 community grants, instructional videos, weekly tips, peer and expert advice, and coursework for those interested in improving the youth sports experience for all involved.
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