Parents have many opportunities to either positively or negatively influence their youth athletes’ sporting experience. Here is a mental performance perspective on providing the most supportive environment in youth sports, leading to enhanced performance for the athlete.
Supporting Youth Development in Sports
Positive parent involvement and influence in youth sports fulfills an important role in the lives of youth athletes including:
- Providing opportunities to participate
- Modeling appropriate engagement
- Helping make sense of their experience
This approach ensures the parent is providing supportive behaviors, such as guidance and encouragement, resulting in positive development.
Inappropriate involvement may result from over investment in sport, unrealistic expectations for an athlete’s ability, or living their own experiences through the child.
Demanding and competitive sports environments can lead to inappropriate involvement when goals shift from having fun, to becoming more focused on both the identity of the parent and athlete, and how they are perceived by others.
To provide the most supportive environment in youth sports, youth athletes prefer different parental behaviors before, during, and after competition.
Prior to competition, help your athlete prepare physically and mentally. Appropriate assistance from parents to prepare for competition physically can influence performance. Parents should also understand their athletes’ specific needs regarding mental preparation, whether this means leaving them alone or helping them to relax before a game.
How to change the game during competition.
- Take a step back, encourage the entire team and avoid singling out your own child.
- Focus on the effort the team demonstrated, rather than the outcome.
- Engage positively, including positive body language, cheering and clapping, especially in close games or when the team is trailing.
Parents can lead by example during competition. Youth athletes will learn appropriate behavior based on the behavior and consequences they observe from coaches, peers, and parents.
After competition, follow the athlete’s lead by giving them space to process their own performance, encourage self-reflection by asking open-ended questions, and promote autonomy through open communication.
Want to enjoy the car ride home? The best thing you can say after a game is nothing. Wait for permission to discuss the game. If your athlete wants to talk about their performance, they will. Finally, if you need to say something, always tell them that you “love watching them compete”.
To explore how Coach Jeff’s approach to mental performance might benefit your athlete's development, please complete the contact form on the Mental Performance page →