A Letter to Our Families — Season Opener

Today is the first day of the new season. Please bring plenty of water.

I've been sitting on how I wanted to write this. The short version is that I coach these kids the same way I'm raising mine. Everything below comes from that.

What I'm asking of you this week

Water at every practice, more than you think he needs. Hydrate him ALL WEEK, not just on practice day — cramps on Saturday start on Wednesday. And pull back on the screen time and the video games where you can. I know exactly how that conversation goes, I have it in my own house. But tired eyes show up as missed assignments.

Our expectation for these kids is simple. Have fun through playing the game the right way.

Before we get out there

Please sit down and go over this with your athlete before we get out there:

• No horse playing
• No talking when coach is talking
• Don't be a distraction to your teammates
• Cheer your teammate on. Pick his head up, tell him to keep working, tell him to focus
• NO TALKING BACK
• If your emotions are high — tell coach and we will help you regulate. That is not weakness, that's how we handle it. What we won't do is let it stop the rep.
• Give your best. COMPETE.

About home and school

Please don't punish your athlete by keeping him out of team things. This is where a lot of these kids get their confidence and their structure. Taking that away over a bad report costs you more than it teaches. Believe me.

If he's messing up at school or at home, let us know. Not so we can add on to the punishment — so we know what he's carrying when he walks out on that field. We'll give him a job, something to be responsible for. That works better, and that's the part that translates.

I also want to be clear about what I mean when I say we're building these kids' confidence, because it is not telling them they're great. Confidence is a kid who knows his assignment, has run it a hundred times, and doesn't panic when the game speeds up. That comes from reps. Not compliments.

What we need from you

So we need you in this with us. On the field and off it. Hydrated, rested. Go over these rules with him. Ask him what he learned at practice, not whether he won.

Let him pack his own bag and carry it. If he forgets his cleats, let him feel it. When he messes up, "my bad, I got it" is the answer. Not an excuse, not blaming his teammate, not blaming the ref. We say it on the field. Say it at home.

Same thing with his emotions. We are not telling these kids to hold it in. We're telling them to use their words. "I'm frustrated because ___" instead of slamming a door. "I need a minute" instead of shutting down. That's the standard on our sideline and it only sticks if it's the standard in the house too. That goes for us grown folks as well. I have to do this same thing with my own children — I know it's difficult.

Championships are won on the practice field and in our case at home. These kids have to be disciplined on and off the field. The ring will be so much better when we've earned it this way.

See you today.

— Coach Floyd

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