WISDOM: Let the kids develop

Just last year I visited a state little athletics competition in Sydney, Australia. There were kids everywhere. The sport at grass roots level is thriving. The grandstand full of parents, grandparents, friends and family. It was a great snapshot of athletics as it should be. Fun!

I wandered over to stand behind the cage with my family to watch my nephew Thor throw the discus. “Just go out there and enjoy yourself mate” I said. “We don’t care what place you come as long as you have fun!”

As I looked around and listened to the parents, the coaches and “support staff” of kids as young as 6 years old I was shocked. Fathers we massaging their childrens legs, getting them primed for the “gold medal race” kids were wearing compression garments, the latest shoes, kineseo tape and knee braces! Knee braces? At 6 years old? It couldn’t be real!

Then I listened as parents and family screamed at their kids to win. I realised that this was far worse than the behavior at senior level athletics. It really gave me a chance to think about what I might value when I finally decide to have children of my own. Certainly if it was to expose them to an environment like this I would have to teach them good strong core values. To make sure they are in charge of their choices to do sport, not to be pushed by obsessive parents and coaches.

Here are some tips as a potential parent and/or a coach to implement to ensure they continue to participate and enjoy whatever sport they choose.

Allow kids to try all different sports at basic levels.

My parents did a great job of this and so are my brother and his wife now with their own sons. Even if it means having no spare time for themselves they are allowing their kids the opportunity to try all different sports based on their interests. Golf, soccer, athletics, cricket and swimming are the current high level interests for Thor and Oslo (both under 10 years old).
This also helps to regulate short seasons approx 3-4 months to avoid kids losing interest. Any sport that runs over 6 months during the year has the potential to reduce their desire to participate.

 

Do not encourage the early specialisation of one sport.

Of course this differs based on the sport itself (swimmers may peak as early as 17-18) however the early specialisation could potentially be a reason some swimmers have personal troubles post career??
Specialising early overemphasises winning whereas spreading children’s interest between differing sporting codes encourages healthy competition that focus on short term rewards and above all else FUN!

 

Specialising early overemphasises winning whereas  spreading interest between different sporting codes encourages healthy competition

Encourage and be enthusiastic for their sporting choices but dont over do it!

“My Son/Daughter should be batting at number 1 because he/she is the best in the team” How many times have we heard this line.
For some parents its difficult to stand back and let their children enjoy play. Encourage specific rewards like kicking the ball 3 times in a match, or passing it 5 and reward it. Not all kids want to be number 1, they are happy being social and playing a game with new friends. Try and be involved in different ways for example, helping pack a kit bag, make sure they have water and suncream with them for the game, clean their favourite undies and socks so they feel confident. Simple things unrelated to coaching or winning.

Let them play all positions.

Cycling through different positions in team sports gives kids understanding for their game. Trying all different events in athletics and swimming for example removes the tendency for early specialisation. For myself personally, I didn’t start training for discus “seriously” until I was over 18. I was still playing everything I had time for and Mum and Dad were forever zipping me around to all different types of training.
Allowing children to play all different positions and try different disciplines helps them to understand different skill sets and improve on them. I may not have enjoyed being a catcher on the baseball field but it certainly gave me an appreciation of what was required to do it. To see the game from a different perspective and work out for myself which positions I enjoyed the most.

 

Trying all different events in athletics and swimming for example removes the tendency for early specialisation.

Don’t over coach or analyse.

Kids are kids. They lose interest very quickly. Have you ever tried to coach a group of 10 kids under the age of 10 to throw the discus? In my experience having a child throw one after the other does nothing for them other than encourage them to play tag, dig up grass or run around out of control.
Try and understand the needs of the kids. Reward them for achieving simple things and try and focus on enjoyment rather than being overly technical.
I remember when i was playing under 10’s cricket, our coach would put a 20 cent piece right where he wanted us to aim on the pitch (not at the wicket) and if we hit it, we got to keep it. Each kid was able to bowl 6 balls and that was our goal for the session. Simple and effective and we had fun!

 

Try and understand the needs of the kids. Reward them for achieving simple things and try and focus on enjoyment rather than being overly technical.