TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR FOOTBALL PARENTS

1	Be positive with your son; let him know he is accomplishing something by simply being part of the team. Don't put him down.
2	Don't offer excuses for him if he is not playing. There is usually a reason for it. Encourage him to work hard and do his best.
3	Don't put down his coaches, etc. Remember, the Coach respresents the Boss, the Authority, the Parent, the Teacher, the Law, etc. If you are constantly bad-mouthing your son's coaches, how can you expect your son to play for him? You are teaching him to be a complainer, not a doer.
4	Encourage your son to follow the team rules. Whether he is a first-stringer or a seventh-stringer, players must follow rules pertaining to curfew, drinking, smoking, girlfriends, promptness, and school. Football is a very demanding sport and coaches must concern themselves with a player's off-the-field activities in order to get the maximum physical and mental performance out his players.
5	Insist on good grades. Check the number of hours your son spends on homework. It is the duty of the parent to see that their son is working in the classroom (no matter how good a player he is, if he doesn't have good grades, he doesn't get in college - times have changed). Eliminate use of the car, phone calls, television, internet, etc. This cuts in on study time.
6	Don't develop envy toward players because you don't like their parents, etc. Don't try to live your life vicariously through your son. Football is a kid's game - let them play it. Don't show any animosity or jealousy to any of your son's teammates because they carry the ball more, score more touchdowns, or even get a write-up in the paper. This type of envy rubs off on your son and it can devastate a team. Who cares who scores, etc. as long as everyone does their job to the fullest.
7	Don't be a know-it-all. The coaches work with the players 12 months a year and they know what each kid can do and what he cannot do. As a fan, you are entitled to scream your head off, but don't become belligerent and arrogant toward players. They are amateurs.
8	Insist on your son's respect for team rules, school rules, game officials, and sportsmanship. Don't let him make fools out of his family, school, and team by some uncalled-for gesture or incident whereby he will bring shame. Self respect begins with self control.
9	Encourage your son to improve his self image by believing in himself. A good beginning would be to encourage him to have faith. Great players have a lot of faith in themselves and others.
10	Encourage your son to play for the love of the game - not a scholarship. This alleviates a lot of pressure for a young person. Scholarships are something that are in the hands of college recruiters. Players become selfish, etc. Insist on unselfishness. Usually, good things happen to the unselfish, hard-working athlete.