The Power of Positive Parents

Today’s message is about parents! When coaches pick athletes, they are also picking parents and families. This might not seem like a very big deal but it makes a HUGE impact on the success of your season and retention of players on your team. Athletes need to be coachable, have good attitudes, and walk into the gym wanting to compete every day. Parents play an important role too! Parents need to ensure that their players get where they need to be on time and fueled with enough nutrients to power through the physical activity. They are to be the biggest cheerleaders for the players. Not just your kid, but all the kids out there on the court. 

A good sports parent is a good communicator. They inform the coach of conflicts and potential lateness. They keep an eye on the scoreboard and results to make sure they’re right. A good sports parent supports the coach and what they are asking the athletes to do. Sports parents advocate for their children but let the child lead the conversation. They understand that the athletes are out there to give their best and can see (as the coach does) when that is or is not happening. The role is to support your player in their actions – not get down on them or coaching from the sidelines. One of the best things you can say to your kid when they’re done playing is, “I love watching you play.”

Positive sport parents are easy to spot. They are almost as easy to spot though as a negative sports parent. In my years as a coach and club director, one of the driving factors in picking teams is knowing that the kid is coming from a positive sports family. I have (as many I know have) neglected to pick kids up because of past experiences with a negative sports parent or family. Unfortunately for a good player, if the parent is negative – berating players/coaches from the stands, yelling at referees, generally difficult to deal with in the sense of “my kid is always the best kid on the team and no one else matters” – it is an easy choice as a coach to let that kid go elsewhere and not effect your team.
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Your actions effect the people around you. Happiness is a choice! Playing sports is a gift. Having referees is a gift. One play, one call, one set/match will not determine the future of your athlete but being a positive sport parent will increase their desire to play & continue to love the game!