We're Now in the Age of "Snowplow" Parenting
by dillon77 (2019-06-25 08:03:08)
Edited on 2019-06-25 08:38:36
Post Reply Return to McGraw's Bench

Throughout the thread on Jordan Nixon's transfer, many posters referenced how tough it must be for coaches -- or authority figures in all aspects of life -- to work with helicopter parents, AAU coaches and/or advisors to the player. And how the kids who have those parents/influencers often tend to "go their own way" to pull of a Fleetwood Mac line.

Well Sports Illustrated is now reporting it's getting worse: Welcome to the "Snowplow" parent. SI has an article, which I've linked. I've pulled out two paragraphs, one of which features Muffet's male hoops counterpart, Mike Brey. None of this will surprise those who follow Brey or McGraw (or most college sports for that matter), but it does offer another reason, perhaps, why so many kids want to constantly find smooth sailing somewhere else rather than stick the storm out.

Brey also offers up policies he's trying to address the situation to the benefit of all concerned. As he summarizes below: “It is part of the culture now. Manage it.”

"The phenomenon also reflects what’s happening in the rest of society, says psychologist Madeline Levine, an expert on the topic. “It used to be helicopter parenting,” she says. “And now it is snowplow parenting, which is much more active: It means you are doing something to smooth the way for the child. It’s not just that you’re hyper-vigilant—it’s that you are actually getting rid of those bumps, which robs kids of the necessary experience of learning and failing.

"Not surprisingly, the trend is driving many coaches nuts. “When I think about my next coaching job, I think it should be in an orphanage,” says Notre Dame basketball coach Mike Brey. “I use that [line] at coaching clinics, and high school coaches give me a standing ovation.

"Coaches are increasingly finding ways to deal with greater parent involvement. At Notre Dame, Brey assigns an assistant coach to each set of parents, and they are responsible for checking in with them every two weeks because “even when we have kids on campus, parents can control the vibe and the head and the attitude,” he says.

"Many coaches, like Brey, are setting clear boundaries with parents in order to preserve their sanity. They will not discuss playing time during the season, but they keep the lines of communication open through other coaches on staff. “Instead of complaining about it, I told our staff, We need to manage it,” Brey says. “It is part of the culture now. Manage it.”



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