Australian kids are immersed in a sports crazed culture where professional athletes are looked upon as heroes. It is only natural then that many kids want to play sports and aim, even at a young age, to become professional athletes. Parents need to play the support and guidance role correctly so that they allow their kids to enjoy sport, and if the opportunity arises, to excel at the sports of their child’s choosing.

Motivation
Parents can and should encourage their children to be active and having your child join a team sport is great way to do this. But when the level of sport your child is playing becomes more serious, say representative teams or zone carnivals, the motivation needs to come from the child.

If your child is going to excel at sports they need to enjoy training and competing. It should be a hobby for them. Parents should support and encourage but if you find yourself having to motivate your child to go to training sessions or games then they are doing it for the wrong reasons. Every one has seen the parents on the sidelines of footy matches who are more into the game than their child. Don’t be one of those parents! The decision to play a sport should be your child’s – you should only encourage them to do so.

Support
The support role is the role that parents play best. Any parent of a child athlete will know that the supporting role is vital for the child to continuing improving, and enjoying, their sport. Travelling long distances, nerves before big events, training sessions, tight schedules and the ups and downs of sport can be tough for some young athletes. This where the support role becomes so important.

Improving at Sport
The emphasis that parents should place on seeing their child improve at sports depends on their age. As a general guide if they are under ten you are best to just let them enjoy their sport. They’ll improve from having fun at training, natural development and seeing gains in fitness levels.

After 10, if your child desires to improve at their sport you should help them to do so by implementing training outside of their regular training and games that will improve their skills and fitness levels. Ways to do this include having them trial for representative teams, hiring a sports trainer or enrolling them in coaching programs. Some parents hesitate to take sport too seriously from a young age but it depends entirely on the child. If your child shows natural talent, a love for the sport and a desire to excel then they can only benefit from improving and competing at higher levels.

The Opportunities of Sport
Once upon a time sport was seen as just a hobby. These days sport holds the potential to be a fulfilling career. If your child shows a natural talent for a sport you should encourage them to pursue it.

Many parents worry that their child “won’t make it” in pursuing professional sport and instead encourage academics over sports, even from a young age. Both academics and sports are important. A sporting career is just as respected as an academic career. In fact, sporting performance can help your child gain a scholarship to universities all over the world. Helping them improve in sports, even at a young age, can benefit their career opportunities in the future, both in academics and in sports.

Recreational Sport
While this article has been geared towards parents of children who are serious about sport it should be mentioned that recreational sport is just as beneficial for kids as high level competitive sport. Your child doesn’t have to be the next NRL or AFL star to play sports. The physical, mental and social benefits of just being part of a sporting team with friends are incredibly beneficial for the development of a child’s confidence and personality.

Even if your child does not play a sport it is important that they stay active through some form of physical activity. If your child is heavily into sport you should support and encourage them to be the best they can be. You never know, one day you could be the proud parent of a highly paid, well known professional athlete!

Harley Grosser is a Personal Trainer and owner of fitness business, Physique Sport Health and Lifestyle (PSHL). PSHL works with kids and teenagers covering a range of topics including health and fitness coaching, weight loss and sport specific training for young athletes in the Hills District, Sydney.