Volunteering at tournament no fun eli.cranor@gmail.com November 21, 2021 Eli Cranor is a former professional quarterback and coach turned award-winning author. Please use the “Contact” page at elicranor.com to send in questions for “Athletic Support.”

Dear Athletic Support: My son is an 8th grade basketball player, which basically means he’s a jayvee player for the junior high. Anyway, our town just hosted a big, preseason basketball tournament. My son’s coach made all the junior high players come to the tournament and serve as “managers.” That was his exact term. I didn’t know what it meant, and I still don’t. All my son literally did was sit on the bench and watch the high school team — along with all the other teams — play basketball. He didn’t even get up and give them water. It was like he wasn’t even there. This just seemed like a huge waste of time to me. If he had actually done something, then I think I could’ve understood. But this was just so pointless. We could’ve had a great family night, or done anything other than being stuck in that gym for hours on end. If the coach tries to make us do something like this again, I think I’m going to keep my son out of it.

— "Manager"

Dear Manager: Have you asked your son what he thought of the experience?

That would be my first step. Regardless of how it appeared to you, your son might’ve had a blast sitting on the bench, up close and personal with all those varsity players.

Back when I was in middle school, I was a ball boy for the local college football team. Granted, I did have duties to perform, but just being that close to actual college football players was a treat in and of itself.

So, yeah, what seemed pointless to you, might’ve actually been a wonderful experience for your son.

Ask him what he thought about his role as “manager,” and let his response guide your decision making as you move forward.

If he hated it, then I’m sure y’all can find a way to wiggle out next time.

Dear Athletic Support: I jog every weekday morning. I’ve been doing this since my kids were little. My daughter is a teenager now. She doesn’t play any sports, but a few weeks ago, she asked if she could go jogging with me in the mornings. I was so excited I think I scared her off (that’s what my wife says). Every time I’ve tried to get her up in the morning to go jogging with me, she won’t get up. Any ideas on how to get her up and running?

— Jogging Jake

Dear Jake: If I remember anything about being a teenager, it’s that I absolutely hated getting up in the mornings.

Maybe try asking your daughter if she’d like to run in the afternoons?

If that doesn’t work, give her some space. Teenagers can smell desperation. Hopefully she’ll come back around.


Previous columns:

• Not enough help with Booster Club
• Hoping my son quits basketball
• I wish my son practiced less
• When should my son start football?
• No ‘bad faces’ in basketball
• Son wants to join football team midway through season
• Housekeeper can’t make daughter’s game
• Auditions getting in the way of volleyball
• Foul language on the sideline
• Laundry Stinks
• Fit more important than price when it comes to cleats
• Facebook ads and too many practices
• Coach pushing vaccine on players
• Youth sports like a cult
• Coach’s pregame speech too crazy for kids
• Championship rings and multiple sweatbands — too much?
• Working out over the Dead Weeks?
• Summer School Blues
• Practices running late causing problems
• Softball games going past midnight
• Are athletes getting better with age?
• Are team sports a vital part of childhood?
• Summer schedule way too serious
• What if I can’t afford private speed camps?
• Quarterback lacks speed
• Should pro athletes talk politics?
• How to take a hit
• Wrestling in college, what’s the point?
• Removal of mask requirement could cost us games
• Overachieving daughter stinks at sports
• Why are we playing all the small schools?
• Freshmen don’t make varsity, usually
• Kids have changed, haven’t they?
• Esports and disc golf bigger than football?
• Little pitchers have big ears
• Pregame music offensive
• Fouls in girls basketball
• Red Shirting
• Coach makes political post
• 7th grade girls basketball woes
• Multi-million-dollar buyouts don’t make sense
• Private schools have the upper hand
• Best of 2020

Athletic Support Columns 2020


Outside of athletics, kids’ brains are also at risk. Who knows what sort of impact virtual learning will have on their cognition and critical thinking skills. In this regard, I offer one simple tool — a good book! And luckily, I know just the book for kids struggling with the shift to virtual learning:

BOOKS MAKE BRAINZ TASTE BAD! Okay, you caught me… I’m the author of this book. It was published last week and awarded a #1 New Release ranking on Amazon. BMBTB deals directly with the same topic covered in this column, except in a much more lighthearted, kid-friendly way (zombie teachers and brain-munching screens!) If you end up purchasing this book for your children or grandchildren, I only have one final suggestion — ask them to read it while standing up! Eli Cranor's new book Books Make Brainz Taste Bad has just been released. ZOMBIES HATE BOOKS! Especially the zombie teachers at Haven Middle School. That's why they're using VR headsets to fry kids' brainz. Luckily, Dash Storey knows how to save his classmates from the zombie teachers—BOOKS! They make brainz taste bad! "Eli Cranor has an almost unbeatable advantage. He can remember how it felt to think like a twelve-year-old and he can see the very same events like the adult he is. Don't try to resist this book!" - Jack Butler, Pulitzer-Prize nominated author