Things Parents Should Never Say to Athletes

In my many years of teaching baseball and softball, coaching and parenting, I have noticed that parents often put pressure on kids without even realizing that is what they are doing. This pressure leads to tension between parents and their sports playing kids that may never go away. Parents feel like they are just trying to help their kids but the kids are getting a different message.
Of course, it is important to realize that small amounts of tension between parents and kids are unavoidable because of the various emotions that playing youth sports creates for all. Occasional tension, frustration and failure to meet expectations is normal and does not threaten long-term relationships. However, parents often overdo their scrutiny of their child’s play and stain their relationship with their kids.
Following are things parents should observe that will help them to know if they are putting excessive pressure on their kids.
1. Kids get mad every time you say something about their play.
2. Kids will not practice with parent or always leaves practice mad at their parent.
3. Kids are constantly looking to parent when they do something good or bad on the field.
4. Kids seem to perform better when parent is not at game.
Additionally, some parental statements seem pretty innocuous on the surface but eventually they create tension and resentment. At the very least, these statements and questions can take the fun out of play for kids. (Listed from bad to worse)
1. Why did you do that?
2. What were you thinking out there?
3. Why didn’t you do what I told you to do?
4. When I was your age, I could already do
5. You have to practice more
6. Look at me when I talk to you
7. I thought you wanted to play
8. That was embarrassing
9. You will never get anywhere doing that
10. Do what I tell you and not what your coach tells you to do
11. I am not paying for you to play if that is how you are going to play
12. Forget it; I am not coming to your games anymore
Once again, some of these may seem like legitimate questions but the emotional way they are said or asked, automatically create tension in kids. The good news is that positive parents, who avoid using these statements, will eliminate unnecessary tension with their kids.…

Read More

Why Should You Buy a New Watch?

If you’re forever asking people what time it is, or getting your phone out to see if you’re late, then perhaps you need a new watch.
Here’s why else you might need a new watch.
1. Your watch might be old and seen better days. Perhaps the strap is falling apart or is too small for you, or maybe the face is scratched and it’s hard to see what time it is.
2. It might be that you don’t actually own a watch, or maybe you haven’;t got a watch you like. You might have received watches as presents but not like wearing them. By choosing your own watch you can get a design and size you like, and will wear.
3. If you want to look stylish then you might want a more stylish watch than you currently own, Perhaps your watch came from the service station, or a supermarket, and has done well to last this long.
4. Perhaps you’ve had several cheap digital watches, and now you’re fed up of them. They might not last longer than a few weeks, and they might not keep accurate time. Why not treat yourself to something better that you know will last?
5. If you’ve got a stylish watch already, perhaps you want a sports watch so that you can go running, cycling or fishing without fear of damaging your nice watch.
6. If you’ve got a sports watch, you might want a formal watch. You might need to look smart for work, be entertaining clients, or be looking to sell products or services to professionals.
7. It might be that you’ve seen a watch you like, and want to treat yourself. Maybe you want a designer watch, or like a certain brand of watch.
8. Depending on your lifestyle and hobbies, you might want additional features from your watch. Perhaps its needs to be waterproof so you can wear it when you go fishing,or are on the beach. You might want a stopwatch on it so you can time your runs or bike rides. You might benefit from having the day and date on your watch, so that you can be completely organised.
9. The size of your watch might be important to you. You won’t want a heavy watch with a big face if you’re playing sports. You won’t want a slim sports watch when you’re wearing a suit and want to impress people.
10. No matter what sort of watch you’re looking for, you’ll be able to find something that you like, and will give you great value for money. There’s no point in buying a watch that costs a fortune if you’re never going to wear it, and there’s no point in trying to economise if you’re looking for an everyday watch.
Now you know why you should buy a new watch, what’s stopping you?…

Read More

6 Winning Reasons Why You Should Choose Live Betting

Live betting is becoming increasingly popular these days and if you have ever tried it, you will know what we are talking about. For those of you who are yet to enter the live betting market, here are some tips that should help you get the gist of it.
1.) Better use of your sports expertise
Can you remember how many times have you backed one team before the match started and then regretted it after watching just a couple of minutes of the match in question? You probably expected the game to go in one direction but it went to the other from the very start and there was nothing you can do about it. Well, if you are betting on a game in play, you can wait for the game to start, see how it unfolds and then make a bet.
It is definitely lot safer this way and it will save you a lot of cash for making wrong predictions before seeing the teams in action. This way, your expertise on the sport you are betting on will be much more helpful than with pre-match betting and that should translate to bigger profits.
2.) Bigger profits
For bettors who like to back the favorites, in play betting is the right way to go as it will give them the chance to make bigger profits due to higher prices. As far as football (soccer) is concerned, the odds on favorites will increase only after some 10 or 15 minutes from the start, obviously if they do not score, so this is hardly worth the wait.
If you are looking to get the sharpest odds, then tennis matches should be your thing as the odds on favorites increase significantly even when they lose just one game, and it doesn’t even have to be on their serve. The odds change even with every point, so by watching the game closely, you stand to earn much more money than with pre-match betting.
3.) The bets will be settled within minutes
Sports bettors are hardly a patient bunch of people and they usually don’t like to wait too much before collecting their hard earned money. For those who fall into this category, in play betting offers a great solution. Rather than waiting for 90 minutes or even more to see if your bet is a winning one, you can just bet on a tennis player to win the next game, or on a basketball team to win the first quarter, and the bet will be settled within minutes.
With in play betting there are so many markets to choose from and just few of those take more than half an hour to be settled. As we have already mentioned, for those extremely impatient ones, tennis is the best way to go.
4.) Secure your winnings
There probably isn’t a bettor on the planet that hasn’t lost a bet due to the late goal and a lot of betting enthusiasts see this happening …

Read More

What You Should Know If You’re Going To Play Soccer

In order to become the best soccer player you can be, you must strive to learn the skills required. It is hard work, but it can be extremely fun at the same time. If you love the sport, and are dedicated to learning how to play, then this article is for you. Keep reading so you can figure out how to step your game up.

Ask yourself what you can do to help your team. If you are one of the most skilled players on the field, take the lead and act as a play maker. If other players are more skilled and experienced than you, you can be a lot more useful by supporting them.

Communication is key with the game of soccer. If you are about to make a certain move, it is important that the players on your team know about it. If you do not want to speak about the move out loud, come up with a signal you can give your teammates.

Practice makes perfect and never lose an opportunity to take advantage of it. Bring your ball with you and when you have an extra minute, do some drills. Even walking with the ball in front of you is good practice.

Cross the ball to the same side for a few plays to establish a pattern. The opponent will take notice of the pattern and expect the same move a third or fourth time. The element of surprise will be with you when you then change direction without warning.

When kicking a long kick to a teammate, approach the ball at a 35 degree angle. This allows you to fully use your kicking leg at full force. Use your arms to help you keep your balance while placing your non kicking foot directly beside the ball. Keep the ball close to the ground for best results.

Be patient. When you least expect it, something will open up on the field. Just keep passing the ball and see what happens. If you try to rush something, you are much more likely to make a mistake or transfer custody of the ball. If you take your time, you are much more likely to be successful.

Learn everything you can about soccer and the different techniques. There are many resources available including books and resources on the Internet. Scour these sources to find the latest techniques to help you improve the game. When you find a new technique, practice it until you have it down pat.

Make sure you are juggling the ball frequently so that you can improve your ball-handling skills. Juggling a soccer ball requires a lot of precision, and the only way to improve at this is practicing regularly. In addition, you should try improving other skills while juggling, such as passing, shooting, and trapping. For instance, juggle the ball some and then shoot the ball without allowing the ball to touch the ground.

Hopefully you feel like the tips that have been used …

Read More