I was listening to Colts QB Andrew Luck and his father talk about the role parenting played in Luck’s growth as a player. I did what I think any parent does in that situation: I compared my behaviors to what the Luck family did. What I learned is that I need to take yet another step back as a parent and stop flying around my kids with that propeller over my head.
For me the helicopter rotors jut out more in football than anything else. I still coach my boys in flag, but in tackle they have another HC. The problem, as I’ve discussed in the past, is that the coach is also coaching a H.S. team, which means that though his heart is with the team, his responsibilities are taxing. I know a little bit about that part of things.
What I need to do is disconnect from pressuring the boys to learn from me in addition to coach. Papa Luck said that he didn’t think his son wanted ‘That Dad’ and went on to suggest he didn’t think his son wanted to be dealing with coaches all day long and come home only to be lectured by a parent about the same stuff. So, I’m stepping back.
In Theory. Practice remains a difficult trade.
Some Thoughts:
- Still a lot of roster tuning happening prior to kickoff. I picked up Percy Harvin as a stash player, thinking the mercurial wideout might be on the way to getting it together.