An image showcasing the negative effects of an overbearing parent when it comes to sports. This picture is from TrainHeroic, a website training coaches for their upcoming duties.
A common phrasing for overbearing parents in sports these days is “soccer mom.” However, the issue of having overbearing parents is not only an issue in soccer. Parents naturally want the best for their children and have every goal of helping their children succeed and do well in the sport they have chosen. This can quickly become an elevated situation where their guidance can become a toxic wasteland for the relationship between their child and the sport.
I believe that parents should be involved with their child’s sports, but not to an overbearing point. This involvement can bring down the child’s enjoyment, the relationship with the coach, and make the sport that they like to do for fun, stressful and miserable instead. I have been able to see this up close and personal. Parents can go a little crazy and be selfish for the wants and needs of their children, or sometimes even for themselves. I have enjoyed being able to play tennis without my parents being insanely engaged and overbearing over it. Students should be able to play their sport and advocate for themselves, as it will help develop social-emotional skills too. The biggest issue I’ve seen is parents becoming notoriously infuriated and overbearing at a coach over issues. Sometimes these issues are warranted, other times not so much. High school coaches have been able to experience this first-hand. “Overbearing parents are tough to navigate, but it depends on the circumstance,” comments varsity baseball coach Matt Carlson. He enjoys coaching baseball and only wants the best for his team along with their parents. “Parents should be involved only where they support their child,” Carlson says. Included in this statement are lessons, training, and game-specific improvements that fit the needs and desires of their child, transportation, and positive cheering for their child. Carlson believes it is important for parents to want to be involved, but they should not be overbearing to where it negatively impacts the coach or child. CatchMark Sports is an organization that has provided sports coverage with live videos and articles since the start of COVID-19. According to CatchMark Sports, unhealthy parental involvement in high school sports creates a high-pressure environment that can negatively impact student-athletes’ mental health, development, and relationships. By recognizing and addressing these behaviors, we can foster a supportive and nurturing environment that allows young athletes to thrive. At the end of the day, these parents want their children to thrive but need to make adjustments themselves to allow this to happen.
The best thing parents can do is let their child thrive in their sport, even if that means they can’t have total control over that. It will only boost the student’s confidence and make for a better team overall.