So Your Kid Is an Athlete: Here Is What You Need to Know 

Sports can become a favorite activity for children at a young age. They provide kids with meaningful interactions between themselves and their peers and coaches. 

Children can benefit greatly from playing sports, whether your child is interested in soccer, hockey, volleyball or baseball/softball.

Your role is to always look out for your child and put their needs before your own. Having a kid who doubles as an athlete automatically puts some pressure on you as a parent.

You want to ensure your child is safe, building friendships with peers and enjoying every moment of their time playing a sport they love.

If one of your younger children has decided to play a sport, you must know some tips to help support them on their athletic journey. 

Here’s how to be a supportive parent for a young athlete, as well as some things you can do to help keep your child physically and emotionally healthy so they can perform their best. 

Parents’ Roles in Youth Sports

You hear the stories, and you may even see it at your own kids’ sporting events. The image is all too familiar — parents at sporting events behaving poorly due to an unfair call from the official or their child not getting enough playing time.

It’s common nowadays for parents to put insane amounts of pressure on their child athletes. The Washington Post released a perspective story explaining how some parents are actually ruining youth sports based on their inappropriate behavior. 

While it can be easy for parents to lose their temper every now and then, it’s become more prevalent as youth sports become increasingly popular. 

Parents certainly have their place in their children’s sports participation. They need to transport their kids to and from practices, purchase equipment, spend money and time at games or tournaments, and interact with other parents. 

At the end of the day, your goal is to support your child and encourage them to pursue whatever activities they enjoy. 

Benefits of Youth Sports

There are many benefits children receive from playing one or more sports. Aside from just overall enjoyment, here are some of the other perks:

• Less risk of obesity
• Improved vision
• Development of social skills
• Strengthening of cognitive and motor skills
• Friendship
• Sportsmanship

Often, when children join an organized sport, they’re essentially earning their rite of passage. It helps them develop skills needed to succeed in the game and also life in general. 

For example, helping an opposing team’s player get up after a fall is a sign of good sportsmanship. It helps children learn the importance of lending a helping hand. 

Some children build friendships that last a lifetime from organized sports. Fostering these friendships helps develop their social skills, which is crucial to their well-being.

Do’s and Don’ts for Parents of Athletes

Remember that being a parent is a challenge in and of itself. The key is to not set too high expectations for yourself, especially if you have a young athlete. 

Here are some of the do’s and don’ts of how to successfully parent a young athlete.

The Do’s

• Let your child choose which sports to pursue. You can always offer suggestions, but you should try to use light encouragement rather than require your kid to play one sport or another.

 

• Let your child make mistakes and learn from them. It’s normal, even expected, that they will mess up while playing sports. Calmly offer feedback if they permit you to do so.

 

• Teach your child the importance of respecting their coaches. 

 

• Allow your child to stop participating in sports if they choose to do so. You cannot force them to participate in a competitive sport if they’re no longer interested.

The Don’ts

• Don’t relive your younger years through your child. They may not continue playing sports after a certain age, and that’s OK. If you were athletic, that does not mean your kid has to be.

 

• Don’t push your child to a breaking point. Sports are meant to be fun, and if you pressure your child to perform better, you may be doing more harm than good. 

 

• Don’t assume your child’s performance directly reflects on your image as a parent. They are not responsible for nurturing your ego.

 

• Don’t allow your child to engage in any sports without the proper footwear and equipment, as it could lead to severe injury. 

Keep all these do’s and don’ts in mind if your child is actively participating in any type of sport. You must do your best to encourage and support your kid when they play sports. 

Allowing your child to make their own decisions regarding which sports they play gives them a sense of autonomy and independence and helps them build their confidence in decision-making. 

Supporting Your Young Athlete

Your child must have a role model to look up to as they begin their sports journey. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be athletic — it means your actions and how you approach supporting them will leave an impact. 

As a parent, you should enjoy watching your child play sports as much as they enjoy playing them. Be sure to keep these tips in mind as you empower your kid to do what makes them happy.