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🧠 NEXT PLAY MENTALITY – ISSUE NO. 9

“Everyone’s an Expert… Until It’s Their Kid”

Because the loudest opinions don’t raise your child — you do.

🟧 Opening Message from Coach Jason:

You ever notice how loud it gets when your kid starts playing well?

How everyone suddenly becomes a scout, a trainer, a mentor, or a critic?

It’s wild — the same people who barely know your child now feel qualified to tell you what they “should be doing.”

Let me be real.

Nobody knows your child better than you do.

Not a coach, not a parent in the stands, not a guy with 4,000 followers.

They don’t know what’s happening in your home.

They don’t know the fears, the strengths, the progress behind the scenes.

They don’t know how far your kid has come mentally just to step on the court.

They see minutes.

They see stats.

But they don’t see growth — and they definitely don’t see the full picture.

🏀 Coaching Principle:

“Everyone’s got something to work on. But not everyone has the awareness to admit it.”

🔍 Key Takeaway:

Too many voices in youth basketball are creating pressure, not clarity.

Don’t let opinions from the outside distract you from what actually matters.

• Every player is a work in progress — even the stars.

• Growth doesn’t follow one path, and there’s no manual for raising a complete athlete.

• Be cautious of people who spend more time diagnosing other people’s kids than developing their own.

Stay focused. Stay grounded.

The real work happens between those walls — not in the group chats.

📍 In-Game Moment:

A mom once told me her son was “falling behind” because another parent said he should be averaging more points.

She forgot the part where her son just overcame anxiety and finally learned to call for the ball with confidence.

That’s not falling behind.

That’s winning internally — and it’s worth more than any stat line.

⛰️ The Danger of Peaking Too Soon (and Comparing Too Often):

Some kids peak early.

They hit their growth spurt first. They dominate a season. They make everything look easy.

But look closer.

Is that player a leader?

Does he encourage, or does he complain?

Does he pout when things don’t go his way… or does he still play?

Sometimes the kid you’re comparing