Rules For Parents Of A Young Athlete During Competition

2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 15:43

Competitions are always exciting for children and also for parents. I always want to support my child. But how to do the right thing and behave with the child during the competition?

Here are some rules for parents of a young athlete:

1. Behave in such a way that the child knows that by losing or winning the competition he has proven himself as a fighter, or vice versa. You love him anyway, appreciate his efforts and do not give up on him. This avoids the child's fear of failure based on approval. Learn to hide your feelings, even if your little athlete does not live up to expectations and disappoints you yet.
2. Try to be objective in assessing your child's athletic capabilities, not everyone becomes a national champion or an Olympic champion.
3. Help your kids with advice, friendly support, and attention, but don't lecture while eating, on the way to the pool, at a competition, or on the way back.
4. Raise and teach your child to enjoy the excitement they experience in competition and not be afraid of "failure". Let him consider competition as an opportunity to test his strength, as a means to improve his sportsmanship. Form in him the right attitude to the competition, where you should always try to show your best time.
5. Don't try to impose your sports experience. Try to help the child when necessary, but also give him the opportunity to cope with his problems on his own. Make no mistake in the assumption that he relates to life like you, feels the same way you do. You gave him life, and now give him the opportunity to try to figure it out and learn to understand it. Create an environment for the child to seek your help on his own initiative. Don't make your help a burden for the child. The athlete must learn to stand independently and firmly on his feet.
6. In no case do not compete with the coach, do not be jealous of your child if after class he comes home and repeats all the time: "The coach said … the coach did not allow …". It is clear that sometimes it is difficult for parents, but for their own benefit it is necessary to support the coach. Try to understand what the coach wants and be an authoritative assistant for him.
7. Do not compare your child's athletic performance to other athletes in the group, at least in their presence. Try to be objective and fair in assessing your child's abilities, not embellishing, but not belittling his merits.
8. Praise what is praiseworthy. Be sure to praise him for his efforts, for the efforts that he put in. But don't try to shift the blame onto an unjust judge or coach. It is worth saying something like the following: “I know that you really tried, you are great! But it seems that you have not quite figured it out.
9. Don't compare your child's athletic performance to yours. The child does not always do the way you want. This is a different person. He shouldn't be in the same sport as you. He may have other merits in this sport, he should not be like you. At his age you have received many awards, worked hard, and he has the right to a different sporting life. And this does not mean that it is worse. Don't compare your child to your sports experience. He's just different, accept your child as he is.
10. Tell your child more often that you love him the way he is. And the result will not keep you waiting!