Parents have a great impact on children and they have an imperative role in the sport’s development of their children. Our approach needs to be cautious and careful because it directly influences the sporting experience of a child. They can have positive and negative effects as a result of parental behaviour.
Studies and surveys suggest:
A detailed study by McCarthy, Jones, and Clark-Carter has instigated the source of enjoyment and fun by youth sports mainly comes from participant’s boys and girls alike, with positive parental involvement in sports. This implies that when a child perceives a positive involvement by their parents this is a reason for enjoying the sporting experience.
Besides that, parental active involvement in sports assists in a child’s development. It boosts their confidence and self-esteem and gives them the motivation and social skills which are pivotal to their development and learning. These valuable skills facilitate the children in other aspects of life such as in school, extra-curricular activities, and even in social gatherings. It becomes effective if the child recognizes its maximum potential and own life skills. Therefore, the parental can play a role in giving realization to the child about the gains from sports.
Importance of Parental involvement:
The significance of parental involvement is evident in youth sports camps. This is a trademark not only in developing skills among the children but also a source of reaching professional standards. The latest study by Mills, Butt, Maynard, and Harwood organized interviews with different coaches to outline factors that influence development in players of youth camps. All mentioned that parental involvement is the backbone in development. Coaches and mentors suggested that there is a positive correlation between parental assistance and the likelihood to progress on professional grounds.
Parental support and involvement are a way of providing emotional and tangible help. This study emphasized that coaches also perceive parents have a key role in a child’s sporting development. However, keeping in mind that this behavior must not become too overpowering and over-involving that could have adverse implications on a child’s development.
Further evidence recommends that it will generate negative connotations of becoming over-involvement in a child’s sporting development; it comes from Gould, Wilson, Tuffey, and Lochbhaum. They worked on the role in sports from the perspective of youth players. A crucial finding from this study concludes that parents unconsciously create pressure and stress in sports ambience. This is done by focusing too much on winning rather than stressing upon learning and participation. If parents shout from the outside while cheering up and passing nasty comments from the crowds, it is a barrier to the child’s development and thus, children are additionally burdened on them. We can’t negate the importance of parental involvement but enjoyment, fun, and sports development must not be hindered. Here is the summary of do and don’ts regarding parental involvement in sports;
Do’s for parents:
- Encourage and motivate your child to develop skills and self-realization about the skills they possess and can achieve. This will add to their confidence and thus, transfer such skills in their everyday lives.
- Parents need to put faith in the coach’s methods. If both together convey similar messages to the child, they won’t get confused. They will have time and will place their energy and efforts on working towards goals set by parents and coaches as both are on one page
- Extend your endless emotional and tangible support to your child. This gives an assurance to the child that they got there back whenever required.
Don’t for parents:
- Don’t become over-involved in sports, although it’s a way of showing care, support, and affection towards a child. There is a fine line between supporting your child and being over-involved.
- Don’t stress them by putting too much pressure on winning or success. Allow them to enjoy and learn from the sports. Pressure is a detriment to the fun and performance of your child.
- Avoid giving unnecessary guidance to your child, conflicting messages from coaches and parents will leave them in a chaotic situation. They need to play sports with a clear mind. If parents disagree with coaches, talk to the coach rather than the kids.