Congratulations parent; you have a child that is a talented athlete. Track, football, basketball or all of the above they have made the team. Automatically you have now made the cheer squad-next to the field as a parent. Sure, screaming your child’s name on the stands seems easy enough, but here are a few tips on how to be the best cheerleader for your child, after all their success depends on far more than their training and performance on the field. What happens off the field has a big impact too.
Encourage Independence
By all means steer the future star in the right direction, but their participation should stem from their own interests for the activity. Allow this and support it. Letting them participate in something they show interest in will allow them to enjoy it more, thus making them want to do better and train harder and in the end score! They are fast tracking to the big leagues.
Stay Seated During Events
I know, you are emotionally invested and staying seated at an event seems to be the least cheerleading type of support. Remember they have trained, you have given them tips before during and after training. The event is an opportunity for them to find a way to implement that training, they are in the zone and seeing their parent run next to them on the field or leaning over on the bleachers shouting is a bit distracting – maybe somewhat embarrassing. Now they are trying to focus on what you are instructing them to do instead of the event itself.
Be Intentional With Feedback
What happens after the event is just as important as the training. It is easy to immediately fall into the “you should have done this” or “you could have done better if” conversations once the event is over. Avoid this for now, let your child steer the conversation. If they feel negative about their performance provide positive feedback or point out something they did well instead, this builds confidence and will make them want to continue participating. The criticism can be pointed out at practice. Stay positive and they will play positive.
Prevent Burnout Early
No athlete can perform at their best when they are burnt out. If your child is struggling to keep up with homework because practice ran late or was strenuous, talk to them and the coach. Find out what exactly is the cause of the burnout or stress factor, are the drills too hard or are practice hours too long? Find a way to work around this, the key is to notice burnout before it starts and put a stop to it.
Home Run: Bring It All Together
Support and do not push – a cheerleader leads by cheering not by nagging. When you support you motivate, cajoling will lead to negativity, and your cheerleading days will be short lived. Let’s remember that they are children, your main goal is to have them enjoy a youthful and happy sport experience. These tips might not be the high school cheerleading squad cheer you were expecting, but it’s a cheer that will keep you in the bleachers for a long time and not just one game.
Sources:
- Do’s and Don’ts for Parents of Young Athletes – Association for Applied Sport Psychology
- How to Prevent Burnout in Young Athletes – CHOC Health
- The Role of Parents in the Motivation of Young Athletes – Gao et al., PMC
- What Parents Can Do to Enhance Youth Sport Participation – iCoachKids
- Keeping Sports Fun: Preventing Burnout in Young Athletes – Boston Children’s Hospital Answers
- Parenting Athletes: Best Practices for a Positive Sports Experience – Boys Town National Research Hospital