If you have kids involved in sports of any kind, you sure spend a lot of your time on the sidelines of the field, the court, or the track. There is always the hum of excitement stirring among the participant’s parents as they anxiously watch the game play out. I’ve had a lot of experience on the sidelines, with my son being in soccer for the last 6 years and recently adding football and baseball to the sports scene as well.
We spend much of our time on the field.
There’s a lot to learn from the sidelines.
While I love to join in the excitement of the game and be witness to the hard efforts and skilled abilities of the players, I often tune into the people watching the game.
Now, there’s a show for ya.
I’m actually glad to report that our soccer, football, and baseball parents are absolutely awesome in how they conduct themselves on the sidelines. I know this is a rarity. We all are incredibly supportive and have self-control when the referee makes a bad call, or the opposing team pulls some ‘not so nice moves’ to rise victorious in the fight. We are mature adults, and recognize that this is a game. Ahem.
But with that said, I think what is shouted from the sidelines is quite a portrayal of many life lessons we want to instill in our kids. There are tactics and tests that play out on the field which when used in the game of life, can prove to be quite valuable.
So in honor of all sports and the shouts from the sidelines that are heard on every field…
Here’s a few I’d like to kick out… (See what I did there?)
1. “ Let’s GO *insert name here*!” Throughout the course of your life, you will be expected to show up and be ready to give it your all. Come prepared, dressed, and ready for whatever experience that is. Always arrive with the intention to do your best. You’ll be better off for it.
2. “Get your head in the game!” Whatever you are participating in, be sure to give it your undivided attention. Stay focused and vigilant, so that you can be as effective and productive as you can in whatever endeavor you pursue. Don’t be distracted by things that may interfere with your performance.
3. “Talk to each other!” Communication and strategy are key for pretty much everything in life. Tune in to people around you and have clear interactions that will promote both engagement and understanding with others. If you can’t connect with the people you play with, the end goal will be more difficult to meet.
4. *Silence. Clapping when the injured gets up.* Always be respectful of others, especially when they fall. Compassion must always be present in everything you do. Take time to be considerate, no matter the heat of the game. Be empathetic with the wounded, because surely you would want the same for you.
5. “Brush it off!” You’re gonna fail. You are. When you miss the kick, fumble the ball, or get a foul– take the consequence with integrity and move on. It happens. To everyone. If you let your mistakes consume you, then you will surely live an agonizing life. Resilience is a necessity. Get back up, learn from it… and get back in the game.
6. “The game’s not over yet!” Don’t give up because you are being defeated. Play hard to the end, no matter the score. There will be endless opportunities for you to give up, give in, or simply let go of hope… Your attitude can play a significant role in the outcome. Sometimes the greatest victory is in those final moments of the experience at hand. And quite often, people are counting on you. Don’t let them down. Better yet? Don’t let yourself down.
7. “Way to go!” You are going to have some grand moments of glory when you give it your all. Embrace the triumph and celebrate the accolades. Be proud of what you did, and allow it to fuel your momentum in persevering with all you got. Stay humble though, for there is surely nothing more distasteful than a prideful player.
8.“Watch out for #45!” There will be people you come across who have exceptional skills at what they do, and the threat of them stealing the win is real. There will also be those who don’t play by the rules. Heed the warnings of those who can identify them, and you will be able to manage both better with that awareness.
9. “BAD CALL!!!” People in charge can make poor decisions. Sometimes even cost you the game. This isn’t easy to accept. Not at all. But guess what? Life isn’t fair. Sometimes bad mistakes are made. Often, things won’t go your way. And despite the frustrations, you may feel, at some point you need to let it go and move on. The longer you dwell on it, the more power you give it. No need for that. Do the best you can under circumstances you cannot control.
10. “Good game.” No matter how the game goes in life, win or lose- there should always be a piece of encouragement to offer in closing. That’s not only good sportsmanship, its good character. Don’t be a sore loser or an arrogant winner. Be instead, a good person. Acknowledge the efforts of all the players and be grateful you had the opportunity to play. Whatever the score, there is always something you will learn from the game.
11.“That’s $#@%!@! You #$@&*!” The shouts from the sidelines may be inappropriate, angry, and even hateful. Unfortunately, there will always be some people on the sidelines in life, who are judgmental and reckless and immature. As hard as this is, you simply must learn to ignore the negative onslaught from others and have confidence that you are playing fair and using all your abilities for a purpose. Focus in on the people who love and support you, and draw strength from their encouragement and praise. Find your people on the sidelines in everything you do.
You will need these life lessons, given to you from the sidelines of whatever game you play.
Show up.
Stay focused.
Communicate effectively.
Be considerate.
Take responsibility for your mistakes and move on.
Stay in the game.
Embrace your abilities.
Manage the difficult people.
Accept that there will be bad calls.
Tune out the haters.
And find your people…
On the field and in life.
You’ll be better off for it.
I love youth sports and everything it teaches kids – and parents! Now if only my kids would stop playing ice hockey. According to them they can’t hear me at all! Darn boards and hockey helmets. And I’m not exactly quiet either…
HA! I love that you’re not exactly quiet Katy! Are parents pretty crazy at Hockey games too? I’m betting so… Such a shame your kiddos can’t hear you!!
I love this and had actually written something similar about baseball lessons back a few months ago, but you will hear no arguments from me on lessons we can all learn and teach our kids from the sidelines. Perfectly said and seriously Chris, I cannot thank you for sharing!! 🙂
I love that you get it, Janine!! SO many life lessons from the sidelines and the field! Thanks for reading this one, my friend!!
This was great Chris…as you know with my three boys, I spend a lot of time on the sidelines as well. Sometimes it is appalling to hear what the parents shout to their kids, but in general it’s mostly good encouragement. I once wrote a post a while back called, “The Silent Soccer Mom” because I once had a mom ask me why I wasn’t cheering for my kid. (Let me mention here that all he did was give the ball a good kick while on defense) and I had to explain to her that my son didn’t like when I cheered for him because it embarrassed him. I also explained to her that I was generally a silent spectator anyway – I always clap and cheer for the whole team, but I don’t usually single out my own child to cheer for. Anyway, you are absolutely right about those lessons above…now if only ALL the parents watching could realize how important this is…
Oh yes, Emily! I am SURE you have had your share of sideline experience! I love that you are the silent mom! I’m kind of the shouter- but more the supporter… However, there have been times I yell “AW CRAP!”- I do confess! LOL 🙂
Great list here, Christine. You put a lot of thought into it. I know we’d have been pals on those soccer sidelines. I could write a book about the nasty comments overheard both on the soccer pitch and at the pool. QUITE something. However, who are my dearest pals now? The delightful parents. The ones that laughed with me in communal disbelief at the overheard comments. And at some of the things we witnessed. I have to say that sports taught both my kids and me such a lot about how to live well. Off to share.
I’m so glad you read this, Kelly!! I KNOW you have had quite the experience… and I love how you have bonded with the ‘nice ones’!! 🙂
Great list of lessons! I spent most of my younger years playing sports. Being the mom on the sidelines a has certainly been a learning experience for me!
Being a mom on the sidelines, certainly provides us a different perspective… doesn’t it?!
I had my first piece of kid sports last week at my nephew’s soccer game! They’re just preschoolers so all of the shouting was really positive but I totally loved all the metaphors and platitudes and support!
It’s really encouraging when they are young, then you get into the club sports and WOWZA. It can be ridiculously too much… but oh there are ample opportunities to learn life lessons on the field!
Your last one reminds me of being at a Stanley Cup playoff game for the Colorado Avalanche, back in the day of Peter Forsberg (SWOOOOOOOOON). (I think I told you about when we had drinks with him… SWOOOOOOOOOOOON).
Anyway, I was so angry, that I screamed “GET IT, PUSSY!” and one of the guys behind us told me he wanted to marry me and I was so utterly full of shame and embarrassment. Jeez. I’d forgotten that. Thanks too for the reminder for when my own little boy is out there.
That is HILARIOUS!!! I love that story Kristi!!
This is awesome Chris! I love your life lessons learnt on the field. Powerful.
I’ll be printing it to read it again and again.
Thanks my friend.
Thank you so much my friend! I’m so glad you liked it!! 🙂
This is just an all around great, wise, encouraging post, Christine. You should definitely submit it elsewhere too; it deserves as large an audience as it can get. I love this advice so much that I feel compelled to share this post with my kids.
Thank you SO much for your encouraging compliment, Hillary! I think it really is a universal message for SO many kids and parents that spend much of their time on the field…
Oh my goodness, I can’t tell you how much I loved this! What an awesome and encouraging post!
These are such great lessons and you’ve painted such a clear picture. I so appreciate you kicking it out *wink*
Pinning this to my Deliberate INSPIRATION board.
Wishing you a lovely day.
xoxo
Thanks so much Jennifer!! 🙂
It wasn’t until Cross Country in the last year an a half that I finally “got it” about team sports. Sooooooo many lessons! A few years back though, Cammy TRIED to play soccer (it was hilarious). He was five at the time. We’re talking babies. Oh my Goodness – you would not believe some of the parents on the sidelines. Crazy.
It’s incredible isn’t it? Even in those little leagues, it can get ridiculous! There truly are amazing lessons for the kids in sports… some good and some tough to take!
Love this post and the direction and coaching for those of us on the sidelines! Such great reminders for the game of life.
Thanks so much for coming by and reading them, Christina! I’m so glad you liked them! 🙂
Hi Chris! This is such a great post, I love your thoughts here. And how you took the usual chatter from the stands and turned them into life lessons. That’s so inventive and effective! I think we can all relate.
I like ‘keep your head in the game’. To me, it sounds like the advice to ‘be present to the present’. Great advice!
Blessings,
Ceil
Thanks so much Ceil! You listen to all those shouts long enough, you tend to think about them on a deeper level. At least I do! Much like everything in my life… LOL
Mr. L. coaches soccer.
He’s actually had to have the ref throw parents off the sidelines.
WOW. What an embarrassment for their kids. What horrid role models.
One woman stood at the top of the hill still yelling like an idiot.
…but most parents are great!
xxxxx
I just can’t handle those kind of parents… What on EARTH are they thinking? Their poor poor kids…
I bet Mr. L has some good stories- both actually “GOOD” and “Oh GOOD GRIEF!” 🙂
“walk it off” has always been one of my favourites to take from the field… into daily life. It’s basically about not giving up, pushing through pain, and not letting the enemy see you give in to doubt or fear. It’s so all encompassing, whether we have fallen on our own, have been knocked down, or are dealing with great pain: you just gotta walk it off.
and you know when hot heads are heating up….taking an ACTUAL little walk away from the field of play, or life; not such a bad idea either.
I love that Leslie… Oh do I know about walking it off!! In all the ways you describe here. 🙂
Great analogy! Do you have advice for “your kicking into the wrong goal!” or “hands out of your pants!”. Those are things I say from the side lines at 5 year old soccer. 🙂
OH man! I totally forgot about those!! LOL If I wrote this post a few years earlier, I’m sure they would be on the list!! 🙂