5 Ways to Support Your Kids in Sports

 

If your child is a young athlete or they are demonstrating a keen interest in a particular sport, you may be wondering how you help them to achieve their goals.

Whilst some families live and breathe sports, if you are not one of them, you might be feeling a little overwhelmed at all the practice schedules, games, and sports jargon being bandied around—you needn’t be.

Even the most sports-shy family can be transformed into an enthusiastic, supportive, and maybe even shouting parent on the sidelines. Read on for some tips on how to support your child in their chosen sport.

1.   Let your child lead

If your child is showing an interest in sports, the most important point is to let them choose which sport they want to play. Even if you have a preferred sport as a family, do not let this dictate what direction your child chooses to go in.

Not only is this unfair to your kid, but it can also lead to resentment and frustration as they get older.

2.   Invest in the right equipment

Once your child has chosen their preferred support, it can be a good idea to get them kitted out. Whilst you don’t need to spend a fortune, you do need to make sure that you choose sporting equipment that will allow them to compete safely and to the best of their abilities.

For example, if your child dreams of being an MLB star, then quality batting gloves are a must. If they want to be a track athlete, then high-performing running spikes should be top of your list.

3.   Allow mistakes

Although it can be hard to see your child make mistakes, these are a natural part of any learning process and can help them to better their performance in the long run.

When your child makes a mistake, either in training or during a game, speak to them calmly about why they think it happened and what they think they could have done differently.

Try not to criticize and never blame your child; instead, be supportive and try to help them deal with any frustration they may be feeling.

4.   Accept their abilities

One of the hardest aspects of having a child who loves sports is in accepting their physical abilities. Unfortunately, not every child is a natural athlete and some kids will perform better than others.

Whilst this may be a hard pill to swallow, especially if sporting prowess runs in your family, you need to make sure that you are supportive of your child and that you help them to set realistic goals.

5.   Teach respect

If your child plays for a team, either in or outside of school, you need to teach them the importance of respecting their coach.

The simplest way to do this is by being polite and respectful towards their coach yourself. Remember, children learn by example, so they need to see you being courageous and kind to both their coach and the other players.