Jaffe: Parents should shut up and just cheer

Parents should stay out of the way of the coaches when it comes to providing feedback to players. (Rich Miyara)

As a new lacrosse season approaches, here’s the thing that many of you most want to hear:

Children who are athletes into high school (and beyond) make more money than the average person over the rest of their lives.

Your wishful thinking — that the success you foster on the field translates to success in life — has been confirmed by economists in studies showing that competitive youth sports seems relevant to early-career job prospects as well as late-in-life outcomes. 

This is the justification that every cut-throat, hyper-competitive parent has assumed as the reason for their behavior. It’s why they find meaning in mostly meaningless games played at jamborees where standings aren’t kept, or in tournaments where the prize for winning is a medal that’s likely destined for the trash dump before the child reaches adulthood.