Young Athletes and Parental Involvement

By Alexandra Tapak

 

            Many of you who may be reading this blog have been an athlete or have an athlete of your own at home. There is a fine line drawn in the sand between a parent who is motivational and supportive and one whose presence adds anxiety and pressure to the young athlete’s performance. It is especially prevalent in Western cultures that parents maintain high levels of involvement in their children’s sport experience (Lauer, Gould, Roman, & Pierce, 2010).

            Bremer (2012) pointed out the importance of exploring the athletes’ perception of parental involvement, parental pressure, parental support, family tensions, and resource allocation. The athletes’ perception is everything because it is their interpretation of behavior that influences performance. Every young athlete is unique and requires individual consideration. It is important to understand young athletes’ perceptions so as a parent you can best support them and maintain solid relationships within the family.

            Previous researchers suggested that parents who create an environment in which mastery is stressed have healthier, more supportive relationships with their athletes than those who create an environment that stresses an ego orientation (O’Rourke, Smith, & Smoll, 2011). A mastery environment is one which focuses on elements of performance that are within the control of the athlete and less on the elements that are outside the child’s control. For example, a parent can focus more on effort and implementation of new skills rather than on winning and outperforming opponents (O’Rourke, Smith, & Smoll, 2011).

            By no means is this blog aiming to tell parents how to parent or suggest that the role of sport psychology consultants is to tell parents how to raise children. Sports psychology consultants do, however, work to create and foster environments for athletes young and old to excel.

            Sport psychology consultants find that it is important to provide education to not only the athletes with whom we work but also with parents. Parental pressure is not just a name for a feeling, but rather a complex process that encompasses more than what is apparent at surface level (O’Rourke, Smith, & Smoll, 2011). Important topics to be discussed may include the appropriate level of involvement of a parent, what is a healthy relationship, how healthy relationships are created and supported. To find a certified sport psychology consultant in your area contact the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.

 

References

 

Lauer, L., Gould, D., Roman, N., & Pierce, M. (2010). How parents influence junior tennis players' development: Qualitative narratives. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 4(1), 69-92. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.adler.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.adler.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=s3h&AN=48444142&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Lindstrom Bremer, K. (2012). Parental involvement, pressure, and support in youth sport: A narrative literature review. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 4(3), 235-248. doi:10.1111/j.1756-2589.2012.00129.x

O’Rourke, D. J., Smith, R. E., Smoll, F. L., & Cumming, S. P. (2011). Trait anxiety in young athletes as a function of parental pressure and motivational climate: Is parental pressure always harmful? Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 23(4), 398-412. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.adler.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.adler.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=s3h&AN=66788270&site=ehost-live&scope=site