Ups and downs are a natural part of any youth athlete’s experience. There will inevitably be those days when your child has a frustrating performance or their team wins or loses in a really tough match. How you help your player manage these ups and downs can have a huge impact on your child’s overall experience within youth sports. It can influence the way they perceive themselves and even impact their interest and engagement level with sports – for better or worse.
Here are some things to remember when talking to your player after a rough game! These helpful suggestions were put together by Mom’s Team – a great online resource for parents with active youth.
1. Realize that, with time and your continued support, your child will improve.
2. Recognize that youth sports are not exclusively about winning; define success in terms of performance qualities instead of outcomes.
3. Give your child the respect they deserve; if achieving athletic success was easy, athletes wouldn’t be so admired and respected, be proud of your child’s persistence.
4. Emphasize the friends your child is making through their involvement in sports.
5. Remember that, many times, all your child needs is your love and understanding and you being there for them. Make your child feel important, no matter whether they win or lose, plays well or play poorly.
6. Accept your child for who they are, not for what they have achieved; acceptance must never be dependent on a good performance or winning.
7. Take a positive approach, develop and maintain open lines of communication with your child, even when your points of view on a given subject differ; talk things out, give them the benefit of your point of view; don’t simply say yes or no; let the final decision be your child’s; giving your child the right to express their opinions fosters self-reliance, self-responsibility, and ultimately the ability to think for themselves.
8. Always take the time to help your child re-evaluate their involvement (reasons, values, goals, commitment); this helps your child gain a sense of self-control and self-direction and fosters increased self-motivation.
9. Practice careful listening techniques: show through posture, facial expressions, and gestures that you are really paying attention; employ “active” listening: paraphrase what you feel or understood your child has said; this allows your child to reinterpret if they feel that the point has been misunderstood, or re-state the last portion of what was said; use bridges, such as “I see,” “yes,” or “uh, huh” to show that you are listening and understand.
10. Savor the opportunity that sports provide to get to know your child.
CONTACT
Skyline Soccer
3799 S. Jason St.
Englewood, CO 80110
Office Phone :
303-691-5662
Weather Line:
720-317-2882
Fax: 303-691-5675
Email: info@skylinesoccer.org
Skyline Soccer
3799 S. Jason St.
Englewood, CO 80110
Office Phone : 303-691-5662
Weather Line: 720-317-2882
Email: info@skylinesoccer.org
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