To understand Little League is to appreciate why Little League is a cornerstone of different and diverse communities throughout the world.  Parents believe in Little League because they expect a fair opportunity for their child to play baseball and have fun with friends.

The mission of the Little League program is not to develop exceptional ball players.  In the guise of the game, the essence of Little League teaches children how to accept success and deal with failure, while learning about sportsmanship, competition and accountability.  Moms and dads can look to Little League as a vehicle to expose their children to new experiences, and allow them to build a broad foundation with compassion and respect for others as its cornerstones.

Little League would not be the largest youth sports organization in the world without parents trusting the ideals of Little League and themselves being willing to contribute as volunteers.  Whether supporting your child by getting him or her to practice and games, or volunteering as a coach, board member, or in other volunteer capacity, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends give themselves and lead by example.  This is a call to action, and one that will serve your children now, while preparing them for the challeges that lie ahead of them as they live their lives.

Remember, Little League is about perspective, not wins and losses, because today's Little Leaguers are tomorrow's leaders.

Identifying the winning and losing teams comes with keeping score, and parents can easily lose sight of the important steps to success that make that finish possible. Have you noticed that your children perform better when they receive positive reinforcement and praise?  The Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) of Little League Baseball highlights this method of encouragement as filling up your child's "Emotional Tank" (E-Tank).

Children with full "E-tanks" are more coachable. They are more open to your suggestions. They also tend to be more optimistic, deal better with adversity and are more capable of changing their behavior in response to their surroundings. When "E-tanks" are low, kids tend to be pessimistic, give up more easily and become defensive in the face of criticism. Sounds great, but you are probably wondering, how do I fill my child's "E-tank"?

Here are a couple ways you can fill your child's "E-tank":

• Listening - it is one of the most powerful E-tank fillers... adopt a "tell-me-more" attitude. Encourage your child to express themselves.
• Be truthful & specific with praise - it is fine to say "good job", but it is much better when you are specific... ("Your effort was great today especially when you backed up the catcher.") This shows that you care and are paying attention. Both of which are big E-tank fillers. The same idea can be applied to other areas of your children's lives, such as preparing for a science test: "A better science test score! I noticed that you studied hard, and it paid off."
• Non-verbal Actions: smiling, clapping, thumbs up or high five.

And just as some actions are fillers, some can be drainers... be careful to avoid them. One common example is just by ignoring and not listening to your child. Another common one is sarcasm. Criticizing and making corrections during or after the game are drainers. Children know when they make mistakes or do not perform well; they don't want to hear about it again. Also, non-verbal actions like hands on hips, frowns, eye rolling, crossed arms and heavy sighs are all E-tank drainers.

Practice filling your child's E-tank and see what happens. Try doing it for a spouse or co-worker. It takes practice but it feels great once you have mastered it.

Make Little League a "Special Time" With Your Child

Volunteering in Little League is a family experience. It's a time in your child's life you'll want to share. Every parent - mom and dad, Little League veteran and Little League novice -- should enjoy this one-of-a-kind experience with their child.

Beginning with Tee Ball, parents can get involved with the maturation process together. As the child learns the game, the parent learns how to communicate and interact with their own child and other children on a cohesive, trusting progression. A parent-coach learns how to create a fun, introductory Little League experience for Tee Ball-age players. As the child moves up through our league's divisional structure, the parent-coach adds in more techniques for the increasing motor skills, while adding appropriate technique and skill training at each age level.

Coaching one's son or daughter is a unique opportunity to spend time with them and help with life lessons that every parent values. These are memories, for both you and your child that will last forever.