Thank You Mom

We all have role models. Typically our role models change and evolve as we go through life. If you think about your role model, you might think about a teacher, a coach, a celebrity, a famous historical figure, maybe an author, an activist or a scientist. But if you think back… way back… to your first role model, it was probably your mom or your dad. And though most teens won’t admit it, even once other people and influences come into their lives, mom and dad as a role model will likely be in the background, no matter what.

Although both parents can be amazing role models, this weekend we celebrate moms.

There are endless ways that moms are involved in sport. Some moms make the ‘sport decisions’ in the beginning. Do I sign little Sally up for parent and tot gym? Should little Johnny play soccer or baseball this summer? Moms often volunteer with the sports their children get involved with. Sometimes it’s casual, like selling 50/50’s or working a concession at a game. Sometimes it’s more involved, like joining a board of directors or taking on a major task in a sport organization. Sometimes moms are a young athlete’s biggest fan, getting up before dark to travel to a game, sitting on the freezing cold sidelines while still cheering her heart out, and sometimes picking up the pieces with encouraging words after a hard loss. Sometimes (but perhaps not often enough), moms coach. Whether it be as a paid professional coach or a dedicated volunteer coach. Although the parent-coach/child-athlete relationship can be a tricky one, it is estimated that as much as 90% of youth sport coaching depends on parents.

As a role model, the best thing a mom can do is to live an active lifestyle herself. This doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive, no one has to join an adult volleyball league to be an active mom (but if you want to, Lethbridge has some fantastic adult recreational sport leagues). All it takes are a few simple changes. Including family activities like hiking, biking, hopscotch, and skating in your day to day life, and making sure that you spend time outdoors every day (one of the easiest ways to be more active) will go a long way to help you kids see you as an active person, and will help to build their own healthy active habits.

The Lethbridge Sport Council initiative, “Lethbridge 2017: Get Active Through Sport” includes the #YQLChallenge, which is a list of 150 things to do in Lethbridge. Working your way through the list as a family is a great way to instill active living and build great habits.

So this weekend, make sure you show your mom how much you appreciate her, pull out your challenge passport, or check out the #YQLChallenge list on the website www.lethbridge2017.ca, (sorry, website no longer available) and have some fun together being active.

If you are interested in getting more involved in sport, in any capacity, contact the Lethbridge Sport Council for assistance. You can visit their website at www.lethbridgesportcouncil.ca, or the Lethbridge 2017: Get Active Through Sport website at www.lethbridge2017.ca.(sorry, website no longer available)

- Tanya Whipple

Originally published in the Lethbridge Herald May 12th, 2017