Mike Matheny’s Letter to Parents
I was watching the Phillies this past week get destroyed by the Cardinals and the announcers began to talk about Mike Matheny, the new St. Louis Cardinals manager, and the letter he wrote to parents when he coached his kids in youth baseball. I looked it up. You can too at www.mac-n-seitz.com/teams/mike-matheny-letter.html.
It is well worth the read!
To paraphrase some of the points:
1. Coach orphans – the biggest problem in youth sports are the parents.
2. Youth sports should be all about the youths.
3. He had three main goals – teach the players how to play; have a positive impact on them; do everything with class.
4. There will be bad umpiring. The boys will not be allowed at any time to show any emotion against the umpire. Parents should do the same. Get them there on time and enjoy the game.
5. A parent should be a silent source of encouragement.
6. If you hand your child over to me to coach them, let me do the job.
7. Spend time with them to help them improve – pitch, hit, field with them.
8. I will demand the proper attitude, concentration, and effort. These are things they can control.
9. Make your child responsible for his/her own drinks; don’t ask them if they are thirsty or hungry during the game.
10. The kids can miss a game or practice, but out of respect for the other kids there may be some repercussions – running, altered playing time, or batting order position.
11. The coach is always right – even when he is wrong.
12. The boys should come ready to play every time they step on the field – shirts tucked in, hats on straight, and pants not drooping to their knees. They should always hustle.
There is much more to the letter. Every parent should read it.
Mike Matheny, as of this writing, is the manager of the team with the best record in major league baseball. It has often been said of professional sports that it is men playing a boys’ game. It seems this manager certainly knows how to coach boys (of all ages).
