Topic
Game day
Lineups, rotations, what to say in the first ninety seconds after.
20 pieces
-
Apr 26, 2026
Reading the Ref: When to Say Something, When to Shut Up
One bad call doesn't lose the game. Your reaction to it does.
-
Apr 25, 2026
The Minute Before Warm-ups
One sentence. Your presence matters more than your words.
-
age 15+ · Apr 24, 2026
Game Day When Your Kid Is on the Bench
They know they're not starting. Your job is to support what they can control.
-
age 13–14 · Apr 20, 2026
Managing Substitutions Kids Actually Buy Into
You're not sneaking subs past them. You're explaining the decision before the game.
-
age 11–12 · Apr 13, 2026
The Pregame Snack at 11-12
Water and a banana. Hydration and carbs. Not a meal.
-
age 8–10 · Apr 6, 2026
Game Day: When to Call a Timeout
Three reasons. Everything else is coaching theater.
-
Baseball · age 5–7 · Mar 30, 2026
The 5-7 Lineup Card: A Fair Rotation in Three Minutes
Every kid plays half the game. Build it the night before. Post it before first pitch.
-
age 5–7 · Feb 25, 2026
The pregame meltdown at 6
She is dressed. The car is running. She is on the floor crying. Twenty minutes to game time.
-
Longer read · age 13–14 · Feb 24, 2026
When your kid asks you not to come
She is fourteen. She wants you to drop her at the field and leave. The right move.
-
age 8–10 · Feb 23, 2026
The cheer that embarrasses your kid
He played well. You yelled. He gave you the look. The cheer rules.
-
age 8–10 · Feb 22, 2026
What to do in the 30 minutes before kickoff
You're at the field. Warm-ups have started. Your job in those thirty minutes.
-
Feb 21, 2026
The bench reaction your kid will remember
He got pulled. He's on the bench. His face is checking yours. The reaction matters.
-
Feb 20, 2026
When a parent yells at the ref
Could be your team. Could be the other team. Could be you. The rules.
-
Feb 19, 2026
The quiet pickup after a loss
He played hard. The team lost. He won't talk. The first ten minutes of pickup.
-
age 8–10 · Feb 18, 2026
The kid who scored vs the kid who didn't
Same team. One scored the winning goal. One didn't touch the ball. Both go home with you.
-
Feb 17, 2026
The bad call that didn't go your way
The ref blew it. The team lost because of it. The kid is asking about it. What you say.
-
Feb 16, 2026
When your kid gets hurt mid-game
He goes down. He's not getting up. The first ten seconds. The next ten minutes.
-
age 11–12 · Feb 15, 2026
The double-header recovery plan
Two games in one day. Two hours apart. The plan that gets the team through.
-
age 11–12 · Feb 14, 2026
When your kid is the star and the team loses
She had two goals. The team lost 4-2. She is not allowed to feel good about her game. Or is she.
-
Longer read · age 8–10 · Jan 7, 2026
The Pre-Game Conversation Isn't Strategy
Ground them. Reduce stakes. Hand them one specific job. That's it.