🏆 Snowplow Parents

💭 ONE THOUGHT
Snowplow Parents

We’ve all seen it.

An athlete faces adversity, whether it’s a tough coach, a bad game, or a reduced role, and some parents rush in to "fix" the problem.

They call the coach. They demand more playing time. They make excuses.

This is snowplow parenting: Plowing every obstacle out of a child’s way so they never have to struggle.

It might feel like support, but in reality, it’s crippling.

Because here’s the truth: life never gets easier.

And as parents, your job isn’t to remove the struggle. It’s to prepare your child to handle it.

No one explains this better than Kara Lawson:

The Real Cost of Snowplow Parenting

When parents clear every challenge and smooth the path, kids miss out on what really makes them strong:

• Resilience – Pushing through tough moments instead of quitting when things get hard. No struggle means no growth.

• Accountability – Owning mistakes instead of blaming others. If they never face consequences, they never learn responsibility.

• Confidence – Knowing they can handle challenges, not just be rescued from them. Real confidence comes from struggle, not safety nets.

A player who never struggles never develops grit.

And without grit, they’ll crumble when real pressure hits.

What Can Parents Do?

Instead of removing obstacles, teach kids how to overcome them.

1. Let them struggle. Growth comes from discomfort, not avoidance. Hard moments build strong athletes.

2. Encourage communication. If they have an issue, they should talk to their coach, not have a parent do it for them. Learning to advocate for themselves is a skill they’ll need for life.

3. Reframe failure. Setbacks aren’t roadblocks; they’re stepping stones. Failure isn’t final; it’s feedback.

4. Model resilience. Show them how to handle adversity by how you respond to challenges. Kids learn more from what you do than what you say.

Want a free resource to help? Download the Sports Parent Handbook (it’s FREE) to share with the spots parents you know → 20 Commandments for ALL Sports Parents.

Final Thought

Great athletes, great leaders, and great people are built through adversity, not avoidance.

So stop plowing the road.

Start preparing the child to walk it.

Good luck!
Greg

P.S. If you’re building a team and want resources to develop leadership, culture, and resilience, check out my Mega Bundle → everything you need in one place. Even better, save $50 today with the Coupon Code = SAVE50!

TOGETHER WITH THE FLYOVER

Cut Through Noise with The Flyover!

• One Email with ALL the News

• Ditch the Mainstream Bias

• Quick, informative news that cuts through noise.

Subscribe with One Click!

📜 TWO QUOTES

𝐗 THREE POSTS FROM OTHERS

🔗 PRODUCTS I LOVE

📋 Practice Planner LIVE: I have used this Practice Planning Software for 13 years! Simple, Practical, and Powerful. Click here for a free 14-day trial.

💤 PreSleep: My wife swears by this. An all-natural sleep supplement drink designed to support your body's natural sleep cycle and get the sleep you deserve! Use coupon code = GREG10 to get 10% off. [LINK]

I am an affiliate for some of the products listed here. I only sponsor products that I use myself.

📚 BOOKS, COURSES, BUNDLES, & FREE RESOURCES

Bundles:

• The OS Bundle - Save $ when you get the Team Leader OS and Better Coach OS.

• Mega Bundle - Get ALL of my paid resources, save BIG $.

• Culture WINS Bundle - Get ALL of my Culture resources in place.

• Super Bundle - Bundle all four of my books and save $.

• Buy Two, Get One Free - My three most popular books.

• Culture Wins Book Bundle - Both books for a discount.

• ADs: Want site licenses for a school? Reply to this email for more.

Courses, Curriculum, and More:

• Team Leader OS - Develop your team leaders year after year.

• Better Coach OS - Masterclass course to be a better coach.

• Culture Wins Curriculum - Growing curriculum to use with a ‘Captain’s Council’ concept in your school.

• Culture WINS Mini-Course - A 37-minute Culture WINS Course for coaches.

• Pre-Season Playbook - 33 pages to prepare for your season.

• Off-Season Playbook - The season’s done, but the work is not.

Books:

• Culture Wins - 50 ways to build a winning culture.

• Culture Wins 2 - 50 MORE ways to build a winning culture.

• Coaching Gold - Winning insight and wisdom for coaches.

• Great Teams Better Leaders - Actionable ideas for coaches.

• Paperback books (AMAZON) - All of my books are on Amazon.

Find all FREE books and resources at gberge.gumroad.com.

👀 LOOKING FOR MORE?

1. Interested in Sponsoring an Issue? Reply to this email or click here: Sponsor Great Team Better Leaders.

2. Are you seeking a Culture or Leadership workshop for your team or school? Contact Greg for more information.

3. Check out my website for more: www.gb1leadership.com

4. Need resources? www.gberge.gumroad.com

Contact Me: Greg Berge, [email protected]