One of the joys I've had the last couple of summers has been coaching my son's baseball team. I volunteered, I got the job, and I've stuck with it for 4 years now. I've tried to do the right things, emphasize the basics, and encourage each player to try their best. And in all that time I've only received thanks and praise from my players' parents.

Until tonight.

Tonight I got called out by a parent from the opposing team. Now I didn't get called out directly, it was more like 'guilt by association'. One of the opposing team's coaches was trying to correct what a player had done wrong in the field.¹ The parent was upset their son got called out and yelled at the coach. The two of them got into a heated debate and then the upset parent screamed, 'Both of you need to get your heads out of your ass!' (pointing over in my direction) Hence the guilt by association. As upset as I was about getting told to pull my head from where the sun doesn't shine, I knew I was in the right for one main reason:

I volunteered to coach a team. Period.

If that parent was so upset about how his son was being treated, they had every chance in the world to volunteer to help coach on their son's team. Every coach I've worked with has taken on a coaching role for the love of the game, the joy in watching the kids play, and knowing we've made an impact on these kids lives - forever. So the next time your upset about your kid getting put on the bench or being told to pay attention, just remember... you could have been the one doing it instead.