Pushy Parents a Major Hindrance to Sports Performance Say Experts
The UK's grassroots sports scene is facing a growing concern over parents' behavior on sidelines, with many fearing that pressure and abuse are undermining competitive sport. According to Stephen Smith, chair of the British Psychological Society's sport and exercise psychology division, pushy parents are "the biggest problem in sports performance" - not just for their children, but for others too.
Smith pointed out that as a child, one looks up to their parents for emotional support and guidance. But when they start shouting abuse at referees or other teams, it can be a huge distraction for the kids, causing them to "freeze up under pressure". This kind of negative impact is not limited to just young athletes - even seasoned pros like tennis star Emma Raducanu have spoken about how pushy parents affected their upbringing.
The problem isn't new, and many successful sports stars have credited their parents with pushing them towards success. But as Smith pointed out, this can also come at a price. "Lots of people made it as great sports stars but went off the rails afterwards". The pressures that these kids are under to perform can be overwhelming, leading some down paths they may regret later in life.
Sports psychologist Dr Matthew Cunliffe believes there's an important difference between being supportive parents and those who cross the line into coaching. "Parents are there for emotional support and encouragement, but when they start putting pressure on their kids it gets out of hand." The key is to strike a balance between providing motivation and respecting children's limits.
Despite growing concerns, no major sports organization has stepped forward to provide guidance or support for parents whose children are pursuing careers in sports. It seems like a case of "who's going to help the parents of talent?" - as Smith put it. Until someone steps up to address this issue, pushy parents will continue to be a problem that plagues UK sports.
The irony is that some of these successful athletes have spoken about how their parents' behavior was instrumental in driving them towards success. However, they've also spoken about the emotional costs that came with it - and the need for parents to find healthier ways to support their children's sporting ambitions.
Ultimately, this issue comes down to striking a balance between providing motivation and respecting children's limits. When parents step over that line into coaching, things can go very wrong. It's time for UK sports organizations to take responsibility for addressing this problem, not just for the sake of young athletes but also for their own well-being.
Parents who are struggling with the pressure to perform need help - they're not just affecting their children's performance on the pitch or court; they're also taking a toll on themselves. Until someone steps forward to provide support and guidance, pushy parents will continue to be a problem that plagues UK sports.
The UK's grassroots sports scene is facing a growing concern over parents' behavior on sidelines, with many fearing that pressure and abuse are undermining competitive sport. According to Stephen Smith, chair of the British Psychological Society's sport and exercise psychology division, pushy parents are "the biggest problem in sports performance" - not just for their children, but for others too.
Smith pointed out that as a child, one looks up to their parents for emotional support and guidance. But when they start shouting abuse at referees or other teams, it can be a huge distraction for the kids, causing them to "freeze up under pressure". This kind of negative impact is not limited to just young athletes - even seasoned pros like tennis star Emma Raducanu have spoken about how pushy parents affected their upbringing.
The problem isn't new, and many successful sports stars have credited their parents with pushing them towards success. But as Smith pointed out, this can also come at a price. "Lots of people made it as great sports stars but went off the rails afterwards". The pressures that these kids are under to perform can be overwhelming, leading some down paths they may regret later in life.
Sports psychologist Dr Matthew Cunliffe believes there's an important difference between being supportive parents and those who cross the line into coaching. "Parents are there for emotional support and encouragement, but when they start putting pressure on their kids it gets out of hand." The key is to strike a balance between providing motivation and respecting children's limits.
Despite growing concerns, no major sports organization has stepped forward to provide guidance or support for parents whose children are pursuing careers in sports. It seems like a case of "who's going to help the parents of talent?" - as Smith put it. Until someone steps up to address this issue, pushy parents will continue to be a problem that plagues UK sports.
The irony is that some of these successful athletes have spoken about how their parents' behavior was instrumental in driving them towards success. However, they've also spoken about the emotional costs that came with it - and the need for parents to find healthier ways to support their children's sporting ambitions.
Ultimately, this issue comes down to striking a balance between providing motivation and respecting children's limits. When parents step over that line into coaching, things can go very wrong. It's time for UK sports organizations to take responsibility for addressing this problem, not just for the sake of young athletes but also for their own well-being.
Parents who are struggling with the pressure to perform need help - they're not just affecting their children's performance on the pitch or court; they're also taking a toll on themselves. Until someone steps forward to provide support and guidance, pushy parents will continue to be a problem that plagues UK sports.
those parents need to get their heads out of the game, you know? all this pressure is not healthy for kids, they should be able to just enjoy the sport without all the stress... and btw, where's the support for them when it happens? 
. I mean, come on, who doesn't think pushy parents are a major hindrance to sports performance? It's like, yeah, it's great to have support from your parents, but when they start yelling at refs or making their kid cry if they don't score a goal every 5 minutes... that's just not cool 
. And I'm all for the athletes speaking out about how their parents' behavior affected them later in life - that's some real talk 
. But let's be real, the real problem here is that parents are feeling pressure to produce a superstar athlete and they're taking it out on themselves and their kids 
. It's time for sports organizations to step up and provide support for both the athletes and the parents - maybe some parenting classes or something? 
it's embarrassing but also kinda scary cuz u feel like u gotta perform just 2 make them proud. i had a friend who was on a soccer team and their parents were ALWAYS yelling at the refs even though they knew nothing about the game 
and it got to the point where the coach was like "ok that's enough" but still. i think its super important for parents 2 know when 2 stop coaching and just support u emotionally 
. I mean, as a parent myself, it's natural to want the best for your kid, but when does supporting become overbearing? I've seen it happen in my own child's school sports events - the parents who are always shouting out encouragement, but then become super critical and demanding when things don't go their way. It's like, chill out, you're already on the sidelines cheering them on! 