Competitive youth sports are all about helping your child perform their best in a particular sporting event.
Though every sport and coaching style is different, there are a few ways to support your child as they prepare for practices and games alike. Here is how to prepare your child for their first sporting event.
Practice at Home
One of the best ways to support your child in their sporting endeavor is to step onto the field with them. Almost every sport can move from the field or the court to your backyard or local park.
The time you spend playing the sport with your child at home in your free time is what will help them succeed in the long run. The combination of extra time playing along with your tangible, loving support will boost their skills in no time.
Get Them the Right Gear
When you play a soccer game, your child needs cleats that grip the grass; otherwise, your child’s shoes will hinder their performance on the field.
Similarly, if your child needs corrective lenses to see but can’t wear contact lenses, then you need to outfit them with recreational spectacles that will stay on their face amid the running and movement of sports.
Set a Positive Mentality
Negative self-talk is a nasty earworm that will eat away your child’s self-confidence and self-belief. The more they think they can’t do well, the worse they’ll perform on the field.
Instilling your child with a positive mentality and giving them the tools to overcome self-doubt is the best way you can prepare them for their first sporting event.
When the going gets hard and their team is down with only minutes left, you want to make sure your child can retain their composure and self-esteem through the letdown of losing.
The easiest way to do this is to be careful with your words—don’t place performance expectations on your child; instead, offer words of affirmation and remind them of their strengths before they hit the field.
Knowing how to prepare your child for their first sporting event will help you be the best parent you can be. Though every child will experience defeat and the glory of winning, your constant love and support along the way is what they’ll remember most.
