Parents can improve their daughter’s learning and playing experiences in a number of ways:

Relationship with daughter:

1. Be supportive & encouraging
2. Use positive talk during the game
3. Don’t coach from outside the fence
4. Give your player time and space in the car ride home

Relationship with coach, team, and umpires: 

• Ask the coach if you can help at practice. A coach can always use extra help rolling ground balls, tossing fly balls, or organizing equipment. You can help even if you know little or nothing about the game.

• Have your player at practice and games on time. If the coach asks the players to arrive at 10am it doesn’t mean pulling into the parking lot at 10am. Be sure that your player is in the dugout, with her cleats on, ready to go at 10am. 

• Be respectful of all the players on both teams. Remember there could be up to a 6-year developmental gap between players of the same age. Support and encourage every child who comes out to play.

•  Respect the officials. They are human. They might make a mistake, but they deserve our respect. Despite the occasional mistake, they get almost every call correct and they spend their days working with our daughters for little money. The only person who should speak with an umpire about a play is the head coach.