How can I encourage my child to play sports in a healthy way?

Many parents whose children are members of a sports team attend every match to follow their offspring’s exploits. Competitions are a great way to strengthen family ties and have a good time, provided you follow a few basic rules of conduct.

Indeed, some parents forget to show sportsmanship or put enormous pressure on their children’s shoulders, especially when managing their child’s team, turning matches into nightmarish ordeals instead. Here are a few basic rules to ensure a rewarding sports experience for both children and parents.

There’s no need to put pressure on your children to win every game. Victory depends on many factors, such as team spirit and the players’ level of training, but it also depends on these same factors on the opposing team’s side! It would therefore be unfair to impose this stress on your children, since the outcome of competitions depends on more than just their performance. It’s also important to minimize the risk of performance anxiety in your children.

Instead, encourage them to give it their all and focus on the satisfaction of doing the best they can, regardless of the outcome of the match. Your children will learn to value effort over winning at all costs. Indeed, your children can play an excellent game without necessarily winning it, and it would be a shame not to emphasize this just because they didn’t come out on top.

The opposing team is also there to give their all. Valuing your children’s efforts also means valuing those of others. All players on the field have trained hard and deserve to be recognized for their efforts during a competition, no matter which team they’re on.

Recognizing an athlete’s performance means respecting their training and dedication to their sport or team. Avoid booing members of the opposing team when they win, even if you’re disappointed for your children. Congratulate the players on their effort, and teach your children to do the same.

It’s vital to support the work of the coach, manager or referee. So avoid questioning their decisions and let them do what they’re qualified to do. Your kids didn’t play as well as the others during the match? There must be a valid reason. Rather than openly criticizing the coach, why don’t you schedule a meeting with him or her at a much more appropriate time than during the match?

Violent behavior, whether physical or verbal, is inappropriate and should be punished. Don’t forget that your children are playing a team sport for fun. You’re not on the pitch, and it’s imperative that you keep your reactions under control.

Violence has no place in sports, and if you witness violent behavior on the part of other parents, the best thing to do is avoid encouraging it and report any unacceptable behavior to the team management.