Whose Dream Is This? Love of the Game Comes First

A lot of kids continue playing baseball because they were always a little better than the kids around them and the parents kept signing them up for teams. Then, as they get older, they realize it was never their dream. It was the next thing for the season coming up. The fire inside of them never got started. That’s how you get burnout and a player who doesn’t want to play anymore.

As a dad, do you ever ask him if he had fun? Do you ever ask him if he enjoys playing baseball? Do you tell him how much you love watching him play and how proud you are of him? Not after a bad game; on a normal Tuesday night after a workout. I have found with my sons that these questions and statements alone create a little smirk when I ask him and seem to make his fire burn a little brighter…particularly when I tell him I love to watch him play.

Ensuring he loves the game is the first goal. Without that, he will not be willing to put in the effort level necessary to reach his big goals.

Questions for the dad guiding him

Here are a few questions to ask yourself as the dad guiding and mentoring your son: are you the one booking extra lessons and dragging him there, or is he excited and wants the extra work? Is the car ride a recap of everything he did wrong, or do you let him talk and just ask him questions about what he felt he did really well? Is Sunday ever just taken off to enjoy family time?

Travel and club baseball isn’t the enemy. A calendar with no backyard baseball time, no rest, and without your son wanting to put in the work is. If he says he doesn’t want to go workout, taking an off day won’t hurt him. Remember, this is a decade long process. Not a 1 month sprint.

If he wants to be great, be his support system. Talk to him about creating goals and what it will take mentally. Ensure the work he’s putting in matches the goals he is trying to reach. Motivate him when he needs it. Help him build his confidence. Sometimes tough love is the right medicine. The bottom line is be there for him on a daily basis.

If he doesn’t want it, don’t buy another showcase to convince him. You constantly have to help him keep the love of baseball kindled inside of him until it is burning like a wildfire. This is a tough balancing act but ultimately, you are the main person to help the fire grow. The time will go by fast!