The Do’s and Don’ts of a Sports Parent
Parents up and down the country play a huge role in youth sports. While it is great to see such interest in their son or daughters sporting prowess, many thread a fine line between being the supportive parent to actually having a negative impact on their child’s development. Check out the below tips on the things you should be doing as well as those that are a big no-no.
What You Should Be Doing
- Leave the coaching to the coach. If your child is receiving different messages from you compared to their coach this will most likely cause confusion. Synergy between the coach and parent is vital and will enable the child to work to a set goal.
- Allow your child to learn from their mistakes. If they can figure things out for themselves this will make them more self-aware and boost their confidence along the way.
- Be supportive. Provide a healthy perspective to help them understand success and failure.
What You Shouldn’t Be Doing
- Don’t try to coach your child, leave this to the coach. If you don’t agree with the coach’s approach or style then have a quiet word with them at another time in private.
- Don’t be pushy. There is a fine line between supporting your child and over-involvement.
- Don’t put unnecessary pressure on your child. Some parents try to live out their own dreams through their child’s sports participation. No matter what level your child is playing at they should be enjoying their sport first and foremost.
