Who thought you could learn so much from 8 little 5th & 6th grade girls?

I am on the OU Women's basketball scout team, which is made up of a few guys who practice against the Women's basketball team. This will be my 3rd season to practice against them. Since we practice with them we have the opportunity to coach at the basketball camps they put on in the summer.

I am coaching 5th & 6th grade girls. Today got me thinking of the future. I don't usually think about having kids since I think I'm a few years away from marriage and a few more years from having kids but today was a fun day. I don't ever talk to 5th & 6th grade girls but today after we played our last game we sat down in a circle and had 'girl talk'. It was hilarious.

At halftime of our first game one girl said, "I can't wait to go to pool." Well that started a whole conversation about whose going where to swim and how excited they are for camp to be over for the day. Needless to say we didn't talk about basketball much at halftime.

After our game we sat down on the floor just to chit-chat (because I think they're hilarious). I went around the circle and had them say their name and their favorite cereal. It then turned into your favorite song, movie, actor, candy, etc. They were so funny talking to each other and laughing.

I noticed the parents who sat around the gym and watched their child play basketball. I particularly noticed the fathers who were standing around the gym. I got to thinking about possibly having a daughter in the future and getting to watch her do the things she loves to do.

It's seems to me that whatever your child loves to do is what you (as a parent) love to do. If your daughter loves basketball; dads you now love basketball. If your daughter loves tea parties & ballet; dads you now love tea parties & ballet. If your daughter love to draw and paint; guess what dads, you now love to draw and paint!!!!

Fathers be gentle in word with your daughters. You can't talk the same way to your daughters as your sons, especially on the basketball court, football, soccer, baseball fields, etc. As I was coaching, a father who sat near our bench had a very stern tone with his daughter to "pass the ball, you aren't good at dribbling, pass the ball now!" The little girl turned around and looked at her dad and began to cry a little bit. What I read in those tears was, "Daddy, I'm trying my hardest. Please stop yelling, I just want you to be proud of me."

Anyway who am I to give parenting advice? I'm a 21 year old college student.

Who thought you could learn so much from 8 little 5th & 6th grade girls playing basketball for 3 hours?