The Matheny Manifesto
Mike Matheny, former MLB manager and catcher, was asked to coach Little League baseball in the St. Louis area. As a veteran of youth sports, he had been witness to events that disturbed him. He saw plenty of overbearing coaches and conflict with aggressive parents. On a flight home he opened his laptop computer and started to write his terms for being a Little League coach.
His “manifesto” was about his philosophy and the basic rules for his way of improving the ballgame experience for the young kids playing it. It was to be a team without parental intrusion, without a guarantee of winning, but with a faith-inspired building block of character development. Initially many parents were reluctant to join but soon Mike’s method proved to be successful at character development and winning.
A summary of his manifesto main points:
- Parents are the problem and the solution.
- Officiating will be bad, but it’s okay.
- Focus on the mental aspect just as much as the physical aspect.
- Parents must trust the coaches and coaches must be trustworthy.
- Family events outweigh sports events.
As a parent of a young person playing baseball, we encourage you to read this. This demonstrates leadership in action to the point it can truly make a difference in the lives of those you coach.
A Must Read For all Sports Parents and Coaches:
Matheny Manifesto