Intro

Keeping up with our kids' sports schedule is becoming impossible. The litany of training and playing opportunities is inexhaustible. Every time I look up, my kids have joined a new team and are traveling to a new tournament; and of course training is non-stop.

If you are like me, conflicts often arise. Work/Business responsibilities, opportunities to connect with friends or do something for yourself, like workout, get a haircut, etc. Not to mention spending time with your spouse or significant other; everything can and will be impacted by your young athlete’s sport calendar.

It is tempting to take a break or even step back as a parent and just do the drop off thing. While this may be necessary from time to time, I'm urging parents to fight the tendency to not attend. Your attendance is not only necessary but actually a crucial component of your young athlete’s development in their particular sport.

Although it’s often hardest for us as parents to see growth in our kids, it takes months and months and years and years to accomplish momentum and breakthrough. Just as we water a plant day after day, without knowing for sure if anything is happening, if we continue to show up and feed the plant’s needs, we can rest assured that breakthrough is coming.

Below are some reasons why your attendance at each and every practice, training and competition you can get to is a necessary component of your young athlete’s growth as a person and player.

Parent Attendance Provides Attention

As a HIgh School Athletic Director of over 10 years I have seen a stark contrast between athletes whose parents are regularly in attendance versus those who are not. I’ve seen this dynamic playout in the classroom as well as on the court. When you see a parent you know that child is cared for and has an advocate that is attentive.

Attention brings accountability for everyone involved, Coaches, Teachers, Trainers and young Athletes as well. Like it or not, these kids are treated differently. This is not to say that rules don’t apply to them or that they are given advantages; but they are certainly handled with more care and attention on average.

Young athletes of attentive parents may also receive access to additional insight or instruction. This is because parents ask better questions than kids. The adult in charge knows they have to provide logical insight to satisfy the parents' inquiries concerning their child. Perhaps a parent is wanting to know more about their kids progress, the logistics of an event, or the details of a particular process. As a result, that parent will receive greater insight than a parent who is absent.

Another benefit of attention is that it provides positive energy that serves as a growth serum. We all like and require attention. Everything on this planet requires it. Plants require attention from the earth, babies require attention from parents, adults require attention from peers and spouses. This is because when we get someone’s attention, we partake of their energy and use it as a resource for growth.

Have you ever been working out in the gym and an attractive person walks by? Your energy automatically goes to the next level. I workout in our garage gym every morning. If my wife opens the door to gather something from the car my workout instantly goes to the next level! Just a few seconds earlier I was having a normal workout, however, when she walks into the room, her attention turns up my energy, which enhances my growth.

Young kids at a playground are all yelling to their parents, “watch me!,” “Mom, look at this!” They yearn for their parents to see what they see, and watch what they can do. Studies show that even plants that receive constant attention grow faster. Know that your presence alone provides infinite power.

Parent Attendance Provides Awareness

Attendance also brings awareness. Parents who attend young athletes' trainings, practices and competitions will begin to become aware and educated about many of the inner workings of the team and dynamics of the sport. First, they immediately become aware of their young athlete’s organic strengths and weaknesses. This allows parents to know where to invest their time in helping their young athlete enhance those strengths and shore up the weaknesses.

Next, parents become aware of the environment or climate surrounding their child. Is it a positive or negative environment for your young athlete? Is this environment instigating or inhibiting your child’s growth? Is this an environment that should become permanent or more pervasive for your child, or one that is temporary and time-specific?

Lastly, you as a parent will become increasingly aware of which environments and situations enhance your child’s development. Perhaps your young athlete requires a certain dynamic created by a strong coach or high level of competition or maybe even the opposite is true.

Awareness enables us to determine a plan of success.

Parent Attendance Provides Accountability

Over the course of a young athlete’s career, parents have seen them train, compete, and grow more than any other Coach, Trainer or Mentor. Because of this dynamic, parents have not only earned the right, but also the responsibility to hold their young athletes accountable.

As a parent, the hours you have spent on car rides and in bleachers, as well as the resources you have spent to support your child’s development, entitles you to speak up when they are not sticking to the path. Whether this be a lack of energy, attention or aggressiveness, there will be times when you need to put them on notice.

When a plane takes off from one destination to the other, just the slightest deviation in direction will cause the plane to not reach its intended destination. Similarly, we as people often get off track. This is why coaching and consulting is a billion dollar industry when including business coaches, sports coaches, life coaches, etc.

Your young athlete will benefit from you holding them accountable to their goals and standards. Quite frankly someone has to and you are the best person for the job. Recognize that this may cause some contention and consternation coming from your young athlete, but that’s ok, you were built for this!

Parent Attendance Provides Acclimatization

Ok what does acclimatization even mean? Acclimatization is defined as the process or result of becoming accustomed to a new climate or conditions. As an athlete, the level and environment is constantly changing. As your young athlete moves up in age, the equipment changes, the expectations change and even the environment changes (ie bigger courts, crowds and critiques, etc.).

High school athletes typically progress from freshman teams, to Jr. Varsity to Varsity. Jr. High athletes go from 6th, to 7th, to 8th grade teams. Young athletes are also changing club teams often from year to year. Consequently, it will become critical that your child become adept at adjusting to new environments.

Parental presence provides three key considerations when it comes to navigating a new environment: confidence, context, and confirmation. Confidence arises as your child realizes they have that constant presence in their corner. Confidence can easily be shaken when young athletes are challenged. Looking up in the stands and seeing a supporter means a lot for a young athlete’s confidence. Knowing that someone who has their back is closeby can provide tremendous encouragement.

Context comes in the form of understanding situations. Kids, like adults, have different learning styles. I know it frustrates you when you look on the court and your young athlete just doesn't understand the drill, or how to defeat a certain circumstance. Parental presence provides key insight to help young athletes overcome obstacles more efficiently. Providing context will also enhance confidence.

Confirmation simply comes in the form of assuring your young athlete that they belong. Encouraging words have a way of seeping in the subconscious and providing resilience. ‘You practiced hard today.’ ‘You had great energy today.’ ‘Your body language was fantastic today,’ are just a few affirmations you can employ to keep your young athlete mentally strong in the face of all challenges.

Parent Attendance Provides Acceleration

Ultimately you are reading this to help your young athlete develop at a faster rate and actually that’s why we exist. JP3 Training & Performance is purposed to help young athletes grow and get the most of their training. If you are needing support navigating your young athlete’s athletic journey, (choosing a team, dealing with a difficult coach, building drills, etc.) book a Parent Playbook Phone call with us today at https://www.jp3training.com/parentplaybook.

Ultimately, your presence is the greatest accelerant that exists to get your child growing in the right direction. Whether its attention, awareness, accountability or acclimatization your young athlete requires, your being there ignites this process.

So pack a lunch, bring a book and say yes to long hours in the stands (preferably get your steps in while watching!). Know that this journey doesn’t last forever, so you can sleep easy knowing your did the most for your young athlete’s ultimate success.

Dr. Jason Parker

Youth Athlete Performance Specialist

Why Parent Presence is Critical To Young Athlete’s Success