Role of parents in sport

The emotions of being a parent can affect individuals differently and how they interact with their child, coach or club.
Therefore, to support parents, we will explore some of the things parents do. These tips for parents will help them understand how they can best support their child.
It is therefore clear that positive parental involvement will enhance the child's enjoyment of the sport.
Studies have found that athletes who enjoy sport are more likely to have a positive lifelong relationship with sport.
With this in mind we present some things a parent should do or not do
.
YES:

Understand which club, team or organisation your child is joining. What are the club's values and beliefs? What kind of environment or team does the child join? This is an important step and should be the first point of call for any parent to fully understand what the child will get out of joining.
Be consistent with your athlete/child throughout the journey. Understanding failure is part of the journey is vital. If your child has been changed or not selected, instead of calling the coach to ask why... talk to your child and discuss what they can do to be selected again or make sure they give themselves the best chance to start.
Be a role model by promoting a healthy and active lifestyle. Committing to helping your child make good choices and educating them about healthy living will help support them in building a positive relationship with nutrition and exercise.
Encourage and celebrate your child's success from the sidelines in a positive way. As a parent, there's nothing wrong with applauding your child's work rate and accomplishments during their sessions and games. This doesn't always have to be verbal, even just a thumbs up or a smile can be just as, if not stronger.

NO:

Don't try to take the coach's place, criticising your child will have a negative impact on your child's enjoyment of the sport.
Don't put pressure on your child to perform. Remember, your child plays sports for fun.
Don't let emotions take over. Make sure your discussions with your child after games are positive,don't vent your frustrations about your child's performance or the performance of the entire team.
Don't make them join a sport just because you didn't succeed in that sport and now you want to achieve your dreams through your child. Let your child choose the sport they want to play for themselves.
Richard Shorter, says: "Parenting a sport is a wonderful but sometimes challenging role".