More and more kids are abandoning youth sports for other things. As a parent and coach, I’ve seen some of the things that have contributed to creating an experience that is less then stellar. We’ve all heard the horror stories of parent tirades at youth sporting events that seem to be ever increasing. There are so many factors that play into forgoing the youth sports sign-up, things like increasing prices, win at all cost mentality, lack of parent involvement, or those pesky video games.
What are some ways that parents can make youth sports fun
Parents can pave the way for helping kids see that youth sports is still a wonderful childhood experience that can enrich their lives in so many ways. When parents change their role in youth sports, it will help to bring fun back for the kids. I’ve come up with 10 ideas for parents to bring fun back for your kids in youth sports.
Embrace Snack time
For my younger kids that are just getting started in youth sports, I sometimes think that they are more excited about the snack then actually playing the game. They love running up and showing me the snack of the day like they’ve just won a big trophy.
I’ve noticed that they take pride in passing out the snacks on our designated snack days. Be a parent that sign’s up and brings a cool snack. Do your best to keep it semi-healthy, but also be a little creative. Instead of bringing orange slices, bring a little fruit salad. Granola bars tend to be pretty common, maybe try a trail mix instead.
Make it about them and not you
We all would love to relive our glory days on the playing field, but those days are behind us. We all want our kids to be successful at what they do. We are parents, we care about our kids, but let’s take a step back and evaluate our own agenda with what our child wants from sports.
It can be easy to get caught up in wanting our kids to be the athletes we once were or accomplish more with the game then we ever did, but that kind of thinking can be detrimental when we are constantly projecting our own agenda on our kids. Sometimes it important for us as parents to just step back and cheer our child on.
Support the coach
It can be tough when our child isn’t getting the playing time we think they deserve. There can be times where we think that we can do a better job or have more knowledge of the game then the coach.
If you disagree with some of the things that are being done, then have a private conversation with the coach. Volunteer to help the coach, a lot of time they would appreciate the extra support. Take the opportunity to talk with coach before you enroll your child on the team to see what they emphasize and value.
Practice with your child
Remember how that scene in Field of Dreams, with the father and son playing catch, tugged at your soul? Let’s create moments like that with our own children. Our kids love it when we spend quality time with them and what better way to do that then to practice their sport with them.
Communicate with them
Check in with your kids about how they like youth sports. Maybe the sport they are playing isn’t the one they want to be playing or maybe they want to try something new or maybe you find that they love the current sport they’re playing.
Ask them what they like about sports. When they tell you some of the things they enjoy about the sport, it’ll make it easier for your to support them in those areas and not have misconceptions of how they can enjoy that sport.
Watch your sideline demeanor
Check out my blog post on Being a C.H.E.E.R. leader that gives a good acronym for being a positive parent on the sideline. Nobody wants to go to a game with a parent that is constantly badmouthing the refs, the other team, or even worse their own child.
Ensure that you cheer on your kids, but do it in a positive manner with respect for the game. Refs, coaches, players will all make mistakes every single game, so let’s take the higher road, and be a positive support.
Lose the win at all cost mentality
If you haven’t heard the stats on few players go on to play professional sports, then check them out, the odds aren’t in your favor. With that being said, I believe in dreams and that anything is possible, but if it’s all about winning, getting scholarships, and making millions, it’s going to take the joy out of sports for your child. Instead of constantly focusing on winning, teach your kids how to be a great competitor by:
- Giving their best effort
- Enjoying focusing on the task at hand
- Taking risks
- Showing respect for competitors
- Being part of a team
- Learning from mistakes
Celebrate accomplishments, not awards
Find ways to accentuate the things that your child accomplished in the game or season. Make it a point to lavish them with positive feedback and praise. Talk with your kids about the goals they have for themselves in sports and celebrate with them when they have successes. Awards are great, but promote external motivation, which can cause your child to think that it’s only fun if they win something.
Teach your kids about being healthy
Many kids and parents get joy from youth sports through the exercise that it provides kids. Discuss with your kids how sports are helping their body to be stronger and helps them to feel well. Here is my post on ways parents can help their kids eat healthier. Find ways to point out how exercise from playing sports:
- Reduces Stress
- Maintains healthy body weight
- Produces endorphins that makes them feel good
- Improves blood circulation helping heart health
- Builds muscles
Buy cool gear
If you want to see a happy moment in youth sports, check them out when they get their jersey. Kids love the awesome gear and apparel they get to wear while playing sports. Treat them to a pair of shoes that they pick out or an accessory that they can wear while playing.
In Summary, think back on your own childhood youth sports experiences and what made them enjoyable. It probably wasn’t because you had to win every game or had a parent that went crazy on the sidelines. I bet it had more to do with the experience, the values you learned, the coaches that mentored you, the fun of competition, the relationships you made, and that most of all, it was fun.
Check out some of my related blog posts and comment below:
How to get the most out of kids sports.
How to make the most of being benched on your sports team
Help, I volunteered to be a parent coach