Menu ≡ ╳

Sideline Support for Sports and Our Kids

Fall time kicks sports participation into high gear for some families. After school we drive our kids to and from practices and spend our weekends putting our folding chairs into our cars so we can sit and cheer our kids on to victory. The sidelines can become a place of support or tension; we possess the power to make sports a positive experience for everyone.

As parents we know the important role we play in supporting our children’s efforts. We only want them to succeed, feel strong and capable, and fulfill their potential in sports and anything else they participate in. We know these things logically, and then we get caught up in the moment and sometimes our behaviors don’t match up with our ideals.

We shout when we should be quiet.

We get angry when we should be understanding or supportive.

We confront people when we should take a deep breath.

It happens.

Sometimes a little pre-game prep can be as helpful for parents as it proves for our kids. With a few ideas in place, maybe we lower our chances of behaving in ways we know create tension on the sidelines. Take these things into consideration:

Staying quiet while watching your child play their sport actually helps your child become a better athlete. You want your child to train themselves to listen to a coach, not you, because, ultimately, the coach calls the plays, the shots, and the strategy. Helping your child tune their ear to the coach’s voice gives them an advantage in the short and long term. If you disagree with a coach’s strategy, remember this next season and try to become a coach yourself so you can offer your guidance to a team. You can make a huge difference for your community of athletes this way!

Help yourself keep things positive by literally creating a boundary for your words – bite your lip, place a finger on your mouth or put your entire hand over your mouth so you can’t yell. It helps! Use your hands for clapping to encourage the team. The rest of the time, use that physical boundary if you have a hard time only cheering positively. You might feel silly, but parents will respect your dedication to restraint.

Show your kids what being a positive, supportive parent looks like and they will learn their sportsmanship from you. If you yell at the ref because you disagree with a call, your child might feel it appropriate to do the same. Your child could cause a penalty for their team or get removed from the game. No one wants that. You can help keep this from happening by choosing different behavior.

The coaches in our soccer league wear shirts that say “I coach. They play. You cheer.” on the back so parents can see this message as we sit on the sidelines. Keeping our role firmly focused in our minds as we encourage our kids to victory (or loss!) comes with a powerful message for our kids and a positive feeling for ourselves. At the end of a sporting event, we know we contributed in the best way we could: being a model of good sportsmanship and positive support for our kids and their team.

Wishing you a terrific sports season from behind my hand over my own mouth…. GAME ON!

Photo Credit: Getty Images