Sports play a crucial role in the development of an individual. It provides an opportunity for one to engage and collaborate with others in order to achieve a common goal. In this regard, individuals understand team dynamics as well as acquire other vital life skills such as hard work and determination, attributes they can apply later in their lives. One crucial element in the life of an athlete is the support system. This aspect is often provided by the team structure, the coach and parents. During sports events, parents, with the best intention of seeing their child perform well, are often at the sidelines, cheering, and sometimes shouting at the opposing team, or officials such as referees, or even worse, the coach. The coach is often at the center of all unraveling events during such events as he/she steers the team in accordance with his strategy (Dohrmann, 12). In order to understand the role played by parents in athlete’s life, I conducted an interview with the youth community basketball coach, Mr. Green. Having being part of his school’s basketball team in 1985, Mr. Green is all too familiar with the role and participation of parents in their children’s sporting activities.
According to Mr. Green, his parents played a significant role in his life. Even though at times they would get caught in the heat of the moment and begin hurling orders to the coach, they meant well. “I would get embarrassed at my parents actions that at times, I would become distracted and lose my focus on the game” said Mr. Green. According to Mr. Green, his parents were spirited fans of the school team and often assumed the responsibility of assisting the coach in his strategy. Mr. Green indicated that his dada especially was so passionate with the team and the game that he volunteered to coach in some cases. As a result, he was often at crossroads regarding the role played by his father that he was not able to separate the role of the coach and that of his father. According to Green, the situation at home was especially difficult, as his father could not separate the two roles himself. Instead of bonding with him on a father-son basis, he would always discuss strategy with him and often practiced on hours end after school. As opposed to what a majority of teenagers would have done and rebelled against such actions, Mr. Green took a different approach. He embraced the game and the passion and confidence exuded by his father motivated him to take the game seriously and went on to play the sport professionally, and volunteer at his past varsity team.
“Secondly, sport events are often characterized by high levels of charged emotions among parents of young athletes. In such instances, such environments provide opportunities for the audience to show support for their teams, and for parents, their children. Often times, as a result of the charged atmosphere, a majority of parents often embarrass their children by engaging in unruly behavior, such as shouting at the referee or the coach. Lastly, the high levels of expectations by parents often put unwanted pressure on young athletes. In some instances, parents may expect perfection from their children hence leads to frustration and decrease in confidence levels in cases where such expectations are met”. According to Green, some parents may even create guilt feelings in their children with the assertion that their performance viewed them in a negative light. In such circumstances, such parents exude selfish tendencies as they become focused on their reputation and image, as opposed to the effort and dedication shown by their children (Dohrmann, 12).
In conclusion, Mr. Green provided two suggestions that would guide parents of young athletes. Firstly, they should separate their own goals from those of their children. In this case, parents should take a supportive role and provide guidance when and if required. Lastly, Mr. Green advises that parents should avoid adding on the pressure young athletes already have by not taking the game too seriously. “After all it’s never too serious” he retorts cleverly.
Work Cited
Dohrmann, George. Play Their Hearts Out: A Coach, His Star Recruit, and the Youth Basketball Machine. New York: Ballantine Books, 2010. Print.
