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I guess I don't exactly understand the point of the parents being at pratice- if I wanted to be at every practice, wouldn't I have signed up to be the coach? (Which I have, numerous times for my kids but that's besides the point.
The coach needs help running drills sometimes, so he can work with a smaller group of kids (soccer). At baseball, the dads often played catch with their kids to warm up, and also helped run drills. That particular season, no one even stepped up to be assistant coach, so DH was alone with all the kids, for almost every practice. On picture day, it was also helpful to have some parents to organize the and line up the kids. It also shows that you give a crap. My kids have been on teams with parents who obviously did not, and it showed.
The coach needs help running drills sometimes, so he can work with a smaller group of kids (soccer). At baseball, the dads often played catch with their kids to warm up, and also helped run drills. That particular season, no one even stepped up to be assistant coach, so DH was alone with all the kids, for almost every practice. On picture day, it was also helpful to have some parents to organize the and line up the kids. It also shows that you give a crap. My kids have been on teams with parents who obviously did not, and it showed.
I coached 8 and under softball one season and preferred for the parents to not stay. However, it was mainly because they were way too competitive and thought I knew nothing only due to my gender and age. We did have a few parents who helped at every practice, though. Those ones were fine.
I coached 8 and under softball one season and preferred for the parents to not stay. However, it was mainly because they were way too competitive and thought I knew nothing only due to my gender and age. We did have a few parents who helped at every practice, though. Those ones were fine.
We had one of those too. It depends on the parent, I guess. The one standing there on his phone the entire time might as well just leave.
To answer the question, though, I played sports for my entire childhood. My mom would usually stay, but it's just because she didn't want to have to leave and go back. She and another mom would usually chat out of earshot.
I think it depends entirely on the age of the children and the type of team, specifically whether it is comprised of volunteer or paid coaches.
The swim team my kids are on has 2 hour practices, that's a long time to sit around, they also discourage any interaction between parent and child during practice, encouraging all focus on the coaches. I suspect it's also an attempt to discourage coaching from the bleachers.
When my kids were on various soccer or flag football teams about half the parents stayed for and helped with practices, and all came to games, but the kids were younger then.
Already at their young ages we've had some wonderful teams with great kids, and involved and helpful parents; and some really bad ones where no one volunteers to help, the parents all leave, and the kids misbehave. What a difference some parent involvement makes!
Seriously? The coaches should be able to discipline the kids.
I really don't think parents are necessary at practice even for the youngest kids. We stay a few days a week so that we can see what is going on with the team but we don't feel that we must stay. We have friends at the field so we socialize when we do stay. But our son (12 now) doesn't really care whether we are there or not.
In high school we do not attend practice regularly. Sometimes there are internal scrimmages that are well attended by parents. Our son will let us know if there is one of those and if we can make it we go.
We really enjoy the games and my husband and I hate to miss any of them. One of us goes to every game (and band competition) but we can't always both be there. However, we really like to see the kids play so we try to go.
I think different sports have different cultures. Parents sometimes stay at football/lacrosse even in HS. However, parents NEVER EVER EVER stay for wrestling practice. It's just the nature of the sport. Who would ever want to stay in a wrestling room unless they had to?
Seriously? The coaches should be able to discipline the kids.
I really don't think parents are necessary at practice even for the youngest kids. We stay a few days a week so that we can see what is going on with the team but we don't feel that we must stay. We have friends at the field so we socialize when we do stay. But our son (12 now) doesn't really care whether we are there or not.
In high school we do not attend practice regularly. Sometimes there are internal scrimmages that are well attended by parents. Our son will let us know if there is one of those and if we can make it we go.
We really enjoy the games and my husband and I hate to miss any of them. One of us goes to every game (and band competition) but we can't always both be there. However, we really like to see the kids play so we try to go.
I think different sports have different cultures. Parents sometimes stay at football/lacrosse even in HS. However, parents NEVER EVER EVER stay for wrestling practice. It's just the nature of the sport. Who would ever want to stay in a wrestling room unless they had to?
Yes, seriously. The coach shouldn't have to spend practice time getting after misbehaving kids. My kids have been on some really good teams with really involved parents; and they've been on some crappy teams with really uninvolved parents. Is it a coincidence that the poorly behaved kids are the ones with the absent parents, and the well behaved kids are the ones with the involved parents? I've noticed a correlation. And I'm talking about 6 year olds, not 10, 12, 14 year olds.
The league my kids are playing soccer with this fall does not allow a coach to be alone with the kids. There has to be a second adult there at all times, so someone is going to have to stay.
Yes, seriously. The coach shouldn't have to spend practice time getting after misbehaving kids. My kids have been on some really good teams with really involved parents; and they've been on some crappy teams with really uninvolved parents. Is it a coincidence that the poorly behaved kids are the ones with the absent parents, and the well behaved kids are the ones with the involved parents? I've noticed a correlation. And I'm talking about 6 year olds, not 10, 12, 14 year olds.
The league my kids are playing soccer with this fall does not allow a coach to be alone with the kids. There has to be a second adult there at all times, so someone is going to have to stay.
I can understand not wanting one coach to stay alone with the team. It's for the coach's protection. Plus-it's not safe. If someone is hurt the coach needs to stay with the hurt child. There need to be other adults around for the other kids.
In our football league there are many coaches for one team. We have about 6 coaches for a team of 35 kids. The coaches prefer the parents NOT be involved in the practices. But there are 6 of them, not one.
I can understand not wanting one coach to stay alone with the team. It's for the coach's protection. Plus-it's not safe. If someone is hurt the coach needs to stay with the hurt child. There need to be other adults around for the other kids.
In our football league there are many coaches for one team. We have about 6 coaches for a team of 35 kids. The coaches prefer the parents NOT be involved in the practices. But there are 6 of them, not one.
We had a daughter who played little league baseball until the end of 8th grade; went to all games and practices.
She played golf, water polo, soccer in HS but she only wanted her there at certain times
Our son played baseball, hockey - went to all.
We miss that part of our lives! Most parents stayed. 10 years ago.
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It depends on the parent, I guess. The one standing there on his phone the entire time might as well just leave.
I've noticed a correlation. And I'm talking about 6 year olds, not 10, 12, 14 year olds. 
Team sports
