What Are Good Resources for Parents of Athletes?
All sports players face many challenges, responsibilities, and distractions, on and off the field. They are expected to listen to their coaches, come to practices fully prepared, eat healthily, practice on their own, work out to build strength and endurance, support their teammates, and more. As parents of athletes, we are constantly on the lookout for sports parent resources to help our children through all of this. Seeing the physical, mental, and emotional growth opportunities our children get from playing sports pushes us to foster those benefits in any way we can.
As you may have noticed in your research, quality resources for parents of athletes can take on many forms. Resources in the traditional sense are money, materials, strategies, people, actions, and other assets that can be drawn on by a person or organization in order to function effectively. In this article, I take this broad definition and narrow it down to some specific resources to support parents of athletes. Good resources are vital in helping to build our children into champions, on the playing field and beyond.
What Are the Roles for Parents in Sports?
Before digging into sports parent resources, it’s helpful to understand what a parent’s role is in sports. Some of these roles may include:
Providing transportation to games, practices, and social sports events
Acting as a cheerleader in the stands
Cooking or buying the meals that feed young athletes’ ravenous appetites
Researching ways to help teach their children outside of practices
Modeling good behavior and habits for their children to imitate in sports and in life
Volunteering for concession stand duty at home games
Offering support and encouragement after a hard-fought loss
Purchasing all the sports gear their athlete is required to have
Celebrating team wins and personal wins for their child
Parents should never underestimate the importance of their role as a resource for their child. Without us, our children most likely wouldn’t be able to participate in sports. With this in mind, let’s explore some resources that can help you be the best sports parent possible, so you can bring out the best in your young athlete, too.
What Are the Best Parent Resources for Supporting and Encouraging Athletes?
Parents who have played sports themselves understand the hard work that comes with any sport. The great thing about sports is that you don’t have to have a natural gift in order to be successful. A child who comes from a long line of sports heroes and a child who is the first in their family to ever set foot on the field can both find purpose and reward through playing sports.
Wherever a child may be on their sports journey, there are resources that can guide all parents on how to be a supportive parent in sports. Consider the following resources:
The Coach
A child’s coach should be the number one, go-to resource for parents. Coaches are with their team every step of the way, from after-school practices to championship tournaments. If an athlete is falling behind or struggling to keep up with the team, their coach can provide personalized tips and advice for that athlete to catch up with their teammates. They might even be able to schedule some one-on-one coaching time or partner that child with a more experienced athlete on the team.
Online Learning
The internet is brimming with resources for athletes and their parents, from studies on the habits of elite athletes to millions of online workout classes. Since everyone has a different learning style, certain online resources may be more helpful to parents of athletes than others. For example:
Following along with a yoga YouTube channel could be a great way for a parent and child to bond and stay in shape during the off-season.
Another parent may find a sports podcast they enjoy listening to with their child in the car on the way to practice.
Champions 101 is an additional example of a great online resource for athletes, coaches, and sports parents, as it focuses on sports performance and leadership development. Through a series of short modules, you can learn about topics like developing toughness in your athlete or how to model winning behavior.
Playing sports is just as much a physical exercise as it is a mental exercise, and finding online resources that speak to your child in both ways will only further set them up for success.
Community Resources
Community resources for sports are much needed, especially when the financial costs of sports become burdensome. Fortunately, this problem has been widely recognized, and organizations are popping up everywhere to meet these needs. Good Sports is a well-known organization that works toward creating equitable access to youth sports by providing athletic gear, apparel, and footwear to high-need communities. The YMCA is another excellent resource for athletes and parents, as they offer hundreds of fitness and sports-related opportunities. Outside of these organizations, something as simple as a local community park or recreational center can be the perfect resource for igniting a passion for play and sports.
Champions 101: The Best Resource for Parents of Athletes
Whether you’re a sports parent who attends every game or one who is looking to be more involved, Champions 101 is a prime resource for you. This online training program offers engaging lessons for parents and children specifically designed to help build athletes into champions. Your child can learn about overcoming adversity, loving the game, and giving their best, among other things, while you study topics like winning choices for sports parents and the effects of positive coaching. We also offer a library of free resources to further enforce the foundational lessons learned in our courses.
As most of us have realized, our children will model our behavior. If we are spending time educating ourselves on how to reach our full potential in the role we play, our children will find value in doing the same. Ready to gain some new perspectives and help your child find purpose through sports? Subscribe or contact us today!