Young Athlete Podcast: How do you be the best sporting parent you can?

How do you be the best sporting parent you can?

Jun 30, 2019

There isn’t a single parent or coach out there that doesn’t want the very best for their young athlete or athletes. So, to that end - how do you be the best sporting parent, or coach that you can?

Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could get a backstage pass and understand young athletes a little better?

In this episode we interview Stephen Rendall - he is a sports psychologist and works across a range of sports and in private practice.

Currently he works for the North Melbourne Kangaroos in the AFL, Barwon Sports Academy, West Vic Sports Academy and also works in private practice. Stephen has also worked with;

Maribyrnong Sports Academy
Calder Cannons TAC Club
Melbourne Victory Women’s Team
Victorian Diving Association

As a result of his work, young athletes and helping them and their parents achieve their best performance, on and off the field has become a special interest for him.

In this episode we cover;

How crucial is it to be a good sporting parent
Be a "good enough" sporting parent - it's not about being perfect
Well meaning efforts from parents and coaches that aren't as helpful as you think
How critical parents are to young athletes success
The relationship with mum & dad
Key areas of the young, developing brain are more active than in adults
Parents and coaches are important in helping to regulate emotion
Young athletes are interpretation machines and can read our responses very well
Young athletes are not little adults - there are some big differences in brain function and development
The Amygdala is a part of the brain that young athletes filter information through and is quite reactive, and is based around a fear and threat response.
In adults we filter information through the Hippocampus - we can mediate information more rationally.
Young athletes can be much more reactive and emotional at times
Young people process information through a different filter - when it gets active, it also needs lots of blood flow.
Young athletes have a brain under construction - sometimes they will do things really well, and other times not well at all.
Every 3 years from age 1 to 12 the left & right side of the brain change in terms of which side is more active
From age 12-24 both sides of the brain develop at the same time
The importance of understanding why your young athlete is playing their sport, what goals they have around playing
Parents, coaches and young athletes all need to be on the same page in terms of why they play their sport and what they want to get out of it.
Ways to motivate and support your young athlete and keep them on track
Pre Competition Strategies to help support your young athlete
During the Game Strategies to help support your young athlete
Post Game Strategies to help support your young athlete
The Mirror Neuron Effect
The importance of coach and parent giving the same message. Coaches need to get parents involved in the game plan. Parents will be doing "secondary coaching" at home
Young athletes are worried about letting people down
The importance of praising for EFFORT rather than performance