Watching our athletes put in endless effort and not be rewarded with playing time can be incredibly frustrating for a sports parent/caregiver. It can be equally or more frustrating, and even discouraging for the athletes themselves. 

A positive sports parent/caregiver sees this as an opportunity to help their athlete develop resilience and voice while dealing with adversity. 

Tips to Support Your Athlete:

• Provide unconditional support. Celebrate your athlete’s successes and improvements regardless of playing time awarded.
• Check-in with your athlete regularly to understand their perspective. Listen to understand, confirm what you hear, and validate their experiences. Be an ally in these conversations to ensure that, when concerns arise, athletes’ feel heard – especially in environments where biases may exist.
• Collaborate with your athlete to set attainable goals that highlight their effort – i.e. In practice today, whenever the other team has the ball, hustle back on defense as hard as you can.
• Encourage your athlete to focus on what they can control – giving their best effort, looking for opportunities to learn and improve, and supporting teammates.