5 Ways To Be A Good Sport Parent

Being a sports parent isn’t always easy. There’s a lot of food buying and game watching and sitting around. Sometimes, there is some drama. To make it easier to avoid the drama, try doing the following.

1. Teach Your Child To Be Respectful of the Coach and Referee By Being Respectful of the Coach and Referee.

Lead by example. There will be times when you’re frustrated with your coach. Referees will make mistakes. The best way to teach your kids how to behave is to behave well yourself. Be respectful.

2. Let the Coach Do the Coaching.

You are the parent, and your child needs you to be their parent. Enjoy the game. Clap on the sidelines and talk to the other parents. Lou Holtz said, “It always amazes me that spectators want to coach, coaches want to officiate, and officials want to watch the game.” Let the coach do the coaching.

3. Give It 24 Hours.

If you are upset with what is happening with your child or the team, let it rest for a day. Think about it. Get a little perspective. Take 24 hours before you have a conversation, make a phone call or press send on an email.

Or Say Nothing At All.

Of course, you should advocate for your child. But there does come a time when your child needs to learn to advocate for themselves. Once your child hits 12U, encourage them to speak to their coach on their own. This is a safe space for a child to practice speaking up for themselves. These skills will help them grow as people. Not everything that is learned in Soccer happens on the pitch.

You Get More Of What You Pay Attention To.

After the game, tell your child what you are proud of. Focus on that. Pay attention to what your child does right. They want to please you. You will get more of what you give your attention to.

Soon enough, the soccer years will be over. And the weekends and evenings spent at the soccer field will be done. You might even miss those days. So make the most of them while you are there. Be the best sport parent you can be.