Silent Source of Encouragment
The Role of Little League Parents
Founded in 1939, Little League is in all 50 states and 80 countries, and roughly 2 million boys and girls play worldwide.
Mike Matheny, former coach of the St. Louis Cardinals, wrote a letter to parents a few years ago for a youth baseball team he was coaching after retiring as a Major League Baseball player. One of the parents posted the letter online, and it went viral.
The main message of Coach Matheny’s letter was this: “I believe that the biggest role of the parent is to be a silent source of encouragement.”
One of the most awkward and embarrassing moments at a Little League game is a loud and discouraging parent. It hurts the hearts of those around, most especially the son or daughter, who, looking with their head down into their glove, says, “That’s my dad” or “That’s my mom.”
In scripture, the role of Joseph and Mary, the parents of the Holy Family, is one of being a silent source of encouragement to their son Jesus. Every word that comes from Mary in scripture is out of love. In the Gospel of Matthew, we read that Joseph was a “just man” and “did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him.” Being a silent source of encouragement is not a passive role. Mary quietly and privately told Jesus, “They have no wine” at the wedding feast at Cana. Similarly, Pope Francis wrote that Joseph “is certainly not passively resigned, but courageously and firmly proactive.” Think of the flight to Egypt in which Joseph protected his family.
The role of the parent in Little League is the same as the parents of the Holy Family - to be a silent source of encouragement. Coach Matheny added that “parents need to be the silent, constant source of support” for their children. The reason for the silent source of encouragement from the parents is that players already put a lot of pressure on themselves, and coaches naturally put pressure on the team to play better. More pressure is not needed, but rather a silent source of encouragement.
I encourage every parent of a Little League, High School, Legion, College, or Professional ball player to read Mike Matheny’s Letter to Parents. Also, reflect on Mary and Joseph as silent sources of encouragement. Ask for their intercession to encourage as they encouraged.
The role of parents will always remain the same - to be a silent source of encouragement.
Fr. Luke Daghir
