How To Motivate Your Child If Sports Seasons Are Canceled
Many spring sport seasons were cut short because of the pandemic in spring 2020. As a new school year approaches, many states have began to delay or cancel fall sport seasons for 2020. The National College Athletic Association has been tracking live updates as colleges make decisions about various fall sports.
Whether your children are in middle school, highschool, or college, the news of their sport getting canceled can be devastating. After a summer of training and optimism to play, children might start to lose motivation.
As a parent, it is important to let your child navigate through their athletic journey with freedom. However, you can still offer them help in staying motivated. Here’s how:
Start An Open Conversation
The uncertainty around sports can leave your child feeling lost or confused. Talk through the possibilities with your child and remind them that all of their teammates are experiencing the same feelings. Simply lending an open ear can help ease their minds.
Help Your Child Set Goals
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Setting goals and making plans is a great way to stay motivated. Helping your child hold themselves accountable for their goals will motivate them to keep up with their work ethic as an athlete. You can offer a helping hand in organizing a workout schedule or creating an inspiration board. By supporting your child’s goals you are encouraging them along the way as they take the lead.
Find Educational Resources
Progressing in sports means putting in work both on and off the field. Studying film and a playbook is just as important as staying active. During downtime you can help your child find educational videos, books, and podcasts about their sport. Here are 10 Fantastic Movies About Women In Sports that GoodSport recommends.
Organize Workouts & Training
Assist your child in exploring options for workouts and ways to train outside of scheduled practices. For some at-home exercise ideas, these are GoodSport’s 10 Best Exercises To Do Without Equipment. Instead of trying to coach your child, have some fun and join in on a workout or have them teach you the game. Keep things fun and let your children feel the love they have for their sport.
“As parents, we can’t make our kids care as much as we do about a specific thing, but we can provide plenty of opportunities for them to catch the bug. We can notice when they work hard and praise their efforts, reminding them that their hard work will pay off to help them be ready when game time comes,” said Janis Meredith, a family life coach.
Photo Credits: Pexels, Pixabay
