What Are the Roles for Parents in Sports?
Parental influence on sport participation cannot be understated when it comes to modern youth sports culture. From providing transportation, to paying for all of the new equipment and training, parent involvement in sports can take many different forms. Parents are usually the ones who introduce their kids to sports, spend their time encouraging them to love the game, and act as a child's support system throughout their athletic career. Looking at everything parents do for their kids on and off the field, it is pretty clear that the roles sports parents assume have a huge impact on their child’s sporting experience.
Sports parenting looks different in every family, but there are some important responsibilities great sports parents assume in creating a fun and meaningful experience. As a part of our ongoing sports parent resources series, Champions 101 has created this blog to help parents identify the roles they can assume and learn which behaviors to embrace as they step into each of these roles.
What Role Do Parents Play in Sports?
As was mentioned above, parents can play many different roles when it comes to supporting their children and exhibiting positive parent behavior in sports. In this section we will identify a few of the positive roles sports parents can take on, and explain why these roles are beneficial to creating a healthy environment for young athletes.
Sports Parenting Roles
The Role Model- It’s common knowledge that children mirror their parents' behavior. You are your child’s main role model, and that means you want to be a positive example for them. If you want your child to play fair, be conscientious, respect others, and handle difficult situations with grace, then you need to model all of those behaviors as well. Even when you are faced with a frustrating situation during a sporting match you should remain calm, maintain your composure, and address the situation in a respectful manner. This way your child will mimic your positive approach when they are faced with a similar situation. A popular phrase I use when explaining this role model concept is that "champions breed champions." As parents, we can't teach our kids to behave like a champion without exhibiting champion behavior ourselves. I believe that our own example is the most authentic and powerful teaching tool at our disposal.
The Cheerleader- Although constructive criticism does have its place in sports, it’s important to remember that you should always be your child’s number one fan. As a parent, it is your job to encourage your child, build their confidence, and teach them how to persevere even in the face of adversity or failure.
The Support System- From physical trauma to emotional situations, playing any sport is an intense experience. As a parent, you play an important role in supporting your child through these experiences. Oftentimes this starts with regulating your own intense reactions to sporting situations. Seeing your child get hurt or become upset can be very distressing. But by regulating your own emotions and dealing with disappointment in a healthy and well rounded way, you teach your child valuable coping skills. As a parent it’s your job to help your child navigate negative emotions, and to support them through the ups and downs that come along with playing a sport.
The Muse- As a parent, you have the ability to inspire your child through your actions. You can pass down your love for sports and use your passion to inspire your child to take on new challenges and sporting activities. This can be as simple as taking your child to your favorite sports team’s live game or playing a friendly game one-on-one with the family. Sharing meaningful sports experiences with your child can ignite their passion for athletics and help them find an activity they love.
Discover More About Your Role as a Sports Parent With Champions 101
At Champions 101, I have created a step-by-step program to help sports youth and their parents reach their full potential. My engaging lessons and practical tools are informed by my real-life experience in sports, both as an athlete and a coach. They are based on three core ideas:
Keep it fun
Maintain your perspective
Act and make decisions with intention and purpose
My Champions 101 course selection for sports parents is designed to help you navigate the unique challenges that come along with your child being involved in youth sports. While my training courses for athletes are designed to help your child develop their skills and abilities to become people worthy of winning, on the playing field and beyond.
Ready to raise a champion? Learn more about what Champions 101 has to offer here.