Tips for the Parents of Athletes

Young athletes need a special combination of encouragement, motivation, and direction in order to succeed on the playing field or court. Parents have a big impact on how their children feel about sports and how well children can focus on achieving success. Because of this impact, parents need to be aware of how their words and actions might affect their children's attitude towards sports. Following these tips can help parents motivate their children to succeed without putting too much pressure on them to excel.

Discuss Proper Behavior

Part of helping children develop good sportsmanship is discussing proper behavior and reinforcing it. You can start a conversation about proper behavior by observing an athletic competition with your child. Point out instances of good sportsmanship such as opposing team members shaking hands or a member of one team helping an injured player from another team. Talk to your child about why this behavior is appropriate. If you notice poor behavior, such as fighting or name calling, talk with your child about why this behavior is inappropriate. Don't limit your observations to the players; point out good and bad behaviors by coaches and team managers to reinforce what you have just talked about with your child.

Discuss the Meaning of Success

Focusing on winning sports competitions can cause children to develop negative behaviors or attitudes whenever their teams lose. This makes it very important for parents to discuss the meaning of success with their children. Define success as doing your best every time, regardless of whether you win or lose. Observe a sporting event with your child and discuss how you think the players define success. If a player becomes upset over an error or gets agitated when the opposing team scores, talk with your child about how that player defines success. Observing players can give your child a good idea about what success means and how everyone can succeed regardless of how many wins or losses their team accumulates.

Help with Goal Setting

Participating in sports can help children learn how to set goals that will benefit them not only on the playing field but in the classroom or the workforce. One thing parents can do to help children develop this skill is observe athletes during a sports competition and talk about how goal setting has helped them to succeed. Talk about how each player had to set small goals in order to reach more important milestones. Discuss how goal setting relates to success and achievement. Focusing on the importance of goals can help children understand how goal setting can help them become more successful.

Talk About Disappointment

Any child who plays a sport will have to deal with the disappointment of losing at one point. Discussing disappointment and how to handle it before it happens can help children better cope with game mistakes or losses. Talk about what behavior is appropriate and what should be avoided when dealing with disappointment. This will help children develop the ability to deal with disappointment in sports, which will help them cope with disappointment in relationships and careers later in life.

About Jim Guerci:

Coach Guerci, Peak Performance Guy, is a certified teacher and coach for over 17 years. He is passionate about how the human mind works, stores, and accesses information. To learn more about coach Guerci, visit his web site, http://peakperformanceguy.com.