5 Amazing Tips that Help Sports Parents Thrive
I had just arrived at a local tournament. Teams ranging in age between ten and fifteen were filling up the two courts. As I was sitting down, observing the crowd and the action, my attention was drawn to a parent, very close to the baseline. At first I did not give it much thought, as I have seen parents who act like that before. You have probably seen them too; The ones who try to out-coach their player’s Coach or who constantly have something to complain about to Referees.
As I was waiting for the next game to start, I got into a conversation with another parent. We had some small talk, mainly about our kids’ sports journeys. During that exchange, I picked up pretty quickly that I was not the only one noticing the other parent hollering at his kid. I remember sharing with him “these kind of parents have inspired me to start my Sports Coaching Business”. I truly believe that every parent who has Athletes, can be helped with these 5 Amazing tips that help Sports Parents and their Athletes thrive!
Parenting is the most unique job in the world. Parenting is also very personal as there is no right or wrong way to do it. Besides it being the best unpaid job in the world, parenting is also exhausting. Especially when your kids turn into opinionated teenagers. Remember, when times get a little rougher, that you are definitely not alone in this.
If you are lucky to have a young Athlete at home, there are extra resources available. Resources you might not have used to your advantage yet. If your child plays Sports, his or her Coach can help you manage the daily parenting grind. Learning from how your young athlete’s Coach sets boundaries, implements rules and demands respect, can be very helpful at home too. Curious how to do this? Keep reading…
Parent like it is a Sports Season
This Course is developed for Parents raising young athletes. As a Parent, it will help you make the daily parenting grind lighter. Read a free lesson on us!
5 Amazing Tips that Help Sports Parents Thrive
Tip 1: Let teammates become part of your family
Within your family, being involved in your teen’s sport can be a lot of work. As parents, we tend to do almost everything for our children, yet it sometimes feels like it is taken for granted. If you love (or come to love) the sport your child chooses, being a parent of an athlete can be a lot of fun. Did you realize though, that you can turn that opportunity into something more?
Start with getting to know your teenager’s teammates and connect with their parents. Soon you will learn who you can count on and vice versa. You most likely will bond the easiest with parents that have similar family values as you. Creating a team base around your daughter’s or son’s sport is not difficult yet is something that does not always happen naturally. It will take some investment, time wise but if you help your teen with establishing new friendships, it can benefit you too!
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5 Amazing Tips that Help Sports Parents Thrive
Tip 2. Know how to be a Team player
Your family set-up and your teenagers playing sports have a lot in common, when it comes to Team Spirit. Sports Coaches know how valuable creating chemistry is. Athletes will learn to show empathy and compassion to each other. They also pick up how to be respectful to Coaches, opponents, the Referees and everyone else at games and practices. Soon, athletes and parents will notice the whole journey can be so much more enjoyable.
At home, it should be the same… As a parent, manage to create a ‘Team culture’ where family members show they have each other’s back. Teach your children that it is okay for everyone to be vulnerable. Relate back to their sport and show that ego and selfishness have no place at home either. Encouraging one another, and knowing that your family members are always there for you is something every family should cherish.
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Would you like to be a more supportive parent? Improve your coaching skills? Open the door to opportunities as an Athlete? Becoming more organized or be a better leader? Or just Changing the Game called Life?
5 Amazing Tips that Help Sports Parents Thrive
Tip 3. Winning and Losing is not that Important
Working with your teenager on characteristics that need to be improved? Try to stay close to your teenager by using examples of people she or he respects. This can be a Coach, a Physical Education teacher, a relative or a Sports role. Once your teen sees how others deal with challenging situations, there is room to grow. Since it is unavoidable in life to only win, implement narratives in your parenting that are related to losing.
Tell and show your teenager that taking a loss is okay. The loss in itself normally isn’t the biggest problem, but how your teen deals with it. Be a great role model in showing your kids how to go through the ups and downs life brings. Be open and honest and have age appropriate conversations with them. When you would like to make your point, implement examples of athletes or teams they admire. Share how these athletes dealt with a loss in the form of a personal injury, careers that ended abruptly or championships that were on the line.
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5 Amazing Tips that Help Sports Parents Thrive
Tip 4. Create the right Work Ethics
Young athletes nowadays grow up differently. One of the biggest differences is that everything needs to be highlighted on social media. Even the events that are not an accomplishment at all. The use of Instagram, Twitter and TikTok has shown the overall Sports environment shows a different take regarding ‘working hard’. Young athletes think that the amount of followers or likes on their account represent their achievements. Especially the posting of a standard practice run that their peers automatically liked, without even looking at the post at all!
When it comes to playing sports, the majority of teenagers want things to go effortlessly and fast. For Coaches and parents trying to help them with practice skills and work ethics, this is not really helpful. At home, challenge your teenagers to practice something they would like to become better at. If they practice this every day, they will improve. The goal for them is to not give up so easily, but to learn to work through a challenge.
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5 Amazing Tips that Help Sports Parents Thrive
Tip 5. Keep the FUN in Playing Sports
A lot of parents are not aware of how many kids drop out of organized sports when they are in High School. Partly because of a new group of friends they start hanging out with. Another reason is linked to the pressure being put on teenagers by Parents, Coaches or both. But one of the biggest reasons is that playing Sports is no longer fun for them. Lastly, having traveled exhaustively at a young age because their travel team needed to compete out of state, they feel kind of burned out from playing Sports in general.
To conclude this post, let me end with a piece of advice that will really help your young athlete in their sports journey: Do not believe everything a Coach, a talent Scout or Recruiter tells you. Do not go for the hype and ‘what other parents do or say’. Apply common sense and listen to your child if you want to find out how she or he really thrives at playing sports..
Parent like it is a Sports Season
This Course is developed for Parents raising young athletes. As a Parent, it will help you make the daily parenting grind lighter. Read a free lesson on us!
5 Amazing Tips that Help Sports Parents Thrive
Not sure how to apply these five amazing tips in your daily parenting strategy? Every parenting situation is unique and so is every Parent and their Child. If you are convinced after reading this article to implement more of your Athlete’s sports experience into your parenting situation, check out this wonderful Course!
Parent like it is a Sports Season is written based on stories that relate to successful athletes that your athletes know about. Every Chapter shows the link between sports and daily parenting challenges. I encourage every parent, who has a daughter or son playing sports, to check out the beginning of this course for free.
If there is anything else I can do for you, reach out! Reppin Hoopers offers WORKSHOPS, which are Personalized 1:1 Sessions for Sports Parents like you and me. Stay updated through our BLOG / give us a follow on Instagram or Twitter. If you liked this post, please share it with other Sports Parents you know.
