Parents in sport

The role of parents in youth sport

Everyone involved in sport for young people should be committed to ensuring that children's participation is supported.

Why parents are important

Parents play an important role in sport and positive parental behaviour has some great benefits for sports clubs. 

Positive parent behaviour can include:

• being a positive role model for children
• encouraging their child to take up, enjoy and achieve in their sport
• encouraging their child to participate in sports activities for longer
• supporting their child in practical ways - such as, providing transport or buying kit
• getting involved by become coaches, helpers and volunteers within the club
• helping out with other aspects for the sports club - such as, websites, promotion or fundraising
• supporting and motivating their child and the wider team
• reinforcing positive aspects of sports participation
  
  

Helping children reach their full potential

To continue to ensure a child reaches their full potential and enjoys their time playing sport, parents need to consider:

• what do they want their child to get out of sport? Is it the same as what their child wants?
• do they understand what their child is trying to achieve and what support they need to achieve this?
• are they being the best role model they can be to help their child enjoy their sporting experience?
• are they focused on their child's development and enjoyment?

One young person said:

“My dad’s the best role model I could ask for. He was always on the touchline giving me great support and always encouraging me on – really good, really positive. He’s just an inspiration for me.”

What sports clubs can do

Encourage positive sports parents

Parents play a pivotal role in sport. There are a number of ways that clubs and coaches can encourage their involvement in a way that benefits their child, as well as the rest of the team. 

To get parents on board, you can:

• provide information about the club’s ethos, rules and expectations 
• let parents know who to contact for information, feedback and offers of support
• communicate clear expectations of parents (including online behaviour), which they are required to sign up to – for example, a parents’ code of conduct
• inform parents about the expectations of coaches and participants
• develop relationships with parents to encourage their positive involvement and make use of their skills to support the club
• inform parents about processes to raise, discuss or report concerns or issues about which they're unhappy
• use a range of means to inform parents and young people about expected standards of behaviour, including induction information, meetings, leaflets, posters and newsletters
• provide reminders to parents that they are role models for their child and other children within the club
• communicate the message that sport is fun
  
  

Manage challenging parental behaviour

On the rare occasions you may face situations where you need to deal more directly with problematic parental behaviour. 

In order to prevent poor behaviour that may arise in your club:

• promote the club's code of conduct for parents, so they know what behaviour is expected of them and the consequences of breaching this – and get this signed
• establish a well-publicised process to investigate and respond to concerns or complaints 
• promote values such as respect and listening to each other throughout the club
• educate parents on what positive behaviour looks like
• encourage positive parental involvement as opposed to criticism
• model positive behaviour by coaches and officials within the club, such as encouraging fair play
• provide information for children and parents about who they can talk to if they have concerns 
• have a designated safeguarding person other than the coach or referee
• provide support for the officials through assistants – this is particularly important in the case of young officials
• take advantage of support from the sport’s governing body
  
  

When prevention doesn't work

Sanctions should be identified and agreed by the management committee, and communicated to all parties. If poor behaviour persists, sanctions may include:

• monitoring behaviour by a club official, or welfare or safeguarding officer
• mediation between parents and staff with the involvement of the club welfare officer
• not allowing an individual to be court, pool or pitch-side during a match or matches
• barring an individual from attending at all – preferably by making alternative arrangements for their child to get to and from the club or venue

Every effort should be made to ensure that the behaviour of a parent does not result in either parent or their child being unable to participate, although in some extreme cases this may be the final resort.

For help in encouraging the positive involvement of parents and other spectators, youth sports clubs and organisations may wish to take a look at the following resources.

If you're a parent, find out what you can do to support your child on our information for parents pages.

CPSU resources

• 5 top tips for working with parents – A4 printable poster detailing 5 ways in which coaches can start working with parents
• Codes of conduct for parents, children and staff – templates for you to use
• It's our game, not yours (PowerPoint) – this presentation provides a template for organisations to show the benefits of parents’ involvement in sport, and how to manage poor spectator behaviour
• Keeping children safe in sport – a parent’s charter (PDF) – the charter outlines what sports organisations should be doing to safeguard children in their care
• Keeping children safe in sport booklet (PDF) - this booklet outlines what parents should look for when choosing a sports club or activity with their child
• Cadw plant yn ddiogel mewn chwaraeon – siarter i rieni (PDF) – Welsh version of our leaflet for parents with advice on what to look for in a sports club
• Parents in sport – leaflet for coaches – advice and strategies on how to achieve positive relationships with parents and carers
• Parental involvement in sport scenarios – useful starting points for discussions about this issue

CPSU videos and recordings

• In their own words – young people talk about how the support they received from their parents has influenced their development in sport
• My Magic Sports Kit – children describe how the behaviour of parents deteriorates when they wear their ‘magic sports kit’ – that is, when they compete – and how they'd like them to behave
• Positive sports parents – videos for coaches and clubs – short videos that aim to help coaches and sports clubs realise the potential of parental involvement
• Positive sports parents – supporting talented young athletes – video for parents that looks at how they can prepare and support their child to achieve to the best of their ability
• Positive sports parents – videos for parents – clips that emphasise the importance of parents in supporting young people to enjoy and achieve in sport
• Understanding and supporting parental involvement in sport – 2017 webinar recording

Other resources

• Disability Sport Wales – Parents' code of conduct
  
• Let kids be kids – some of New Zealand's sportsmen talk about their childhood sports memories and remind us to let kids be kids when they play sport
• Let us play – Olympian Karen Pickering delves into the role parents play in children's sport in this 5 live Sport podcast
• Welsh Gymnastics national parents workshops - best practice example to improve face-to-face communications with parents 

Publications

• Exploring parent-related coaching stressors in British tennis – a developmental investigation. Knight CJ and Harwood CG. Loughborough University, 2009
• Negotiating the post-game conversation. Knight CJ. Swansea University, 2015
• Parenting in youth sport – from research to practice. Holt NL and Knight CJ. London: Routledge, 2014
• Strategies used and assistance required to facilitate children's involvement in tennis – parents' perspectives (PDF). Sport Psychologist 27(3): pp 281-291 – Knight CJ and Holt NL (2013)
• Stress in youth sport – a developmental investigation of tennis parents (PDF). Harwood CG and Knight CJ. Loughborough University, 2009
• The experiences of children participating in organised sport in the UK. Alexander K, Stafford A and Lewis R. The University of Edinburgh / NSPCC Child Protection Research Centre, 2011
• Understanding parental stressors – an investigation of British tennis parents (PDF). Harwood CG and Knight CJ. Loughborough University, 2009
• Young athletes' perceptions on promoting positive parental behaviour in sport – executive summary. Rhind D, Murphy C and Giles S. London: Brunel University, 2012