Parents are essential to kids’ sports, filling roles from chauffeur to caterer to cheer squad.
But when they behave badly on the sidelines, it’s often a case of ‘monkey see, monkey do’.
In a new study from the University of South Australia, researchers found a link between parents’ sideline conduct and athletes’ behaviours.
When parents behaved well – applauding good play, encouraging players, and enjoying the game – their child was more likely to project positive behaviour.
But the more a parent behaved poorly – being overly critical, second-guessing the referee, or yelling abuse – the more antisocial behaviours seen in their child.
“Most parents are role models for their children, with children looking to their parents to learn about acceptable behaviour,” UniSA’s Dr Alyson Crozier said.
“So, it’s natural for them to copy the behaviours they observe.
“In our research, we found that when a player perceives positive support from a parent, the player also reported having positive sports attitudes and behaviours.
“Yet, when a parent engages in antisocial behaviours, their child will more likely behave similarly, potentially as frustration and aggression to their teammates and opponents.
“Encouragingly, most players in this study reported frequent positive parent behaviours, and negative parent behaviours as rare.”
In Australia, about 13 million adults and 3 million children take part in sport each year.
The study assessed the perceptions of 67 Australian youth athletes (aged 12-17 years) participating in team-based sports.
Almost a third reported never seeing any negative behaviours from their parents.
But 69 percent reported some form of negative behaviour from their parents, even if rarely.
About one in five (18 percent) said their parents sometimes or often said bad things about the way they played or their parents sometimes to very often yelled at the referee during the game after a bad call was made (17 percent).
Dr Crozier said good sportsmanship was the cornerstone of a positive sports experience.
“Children get far more enjoyment from playing sport when a parent is present, encouraging, and supportive,” she said.
“Such behaviours also help build a child’s self-esteem, and improve their life skills and wellbeing.
“Yet poor parent behaviours can reduce a player’s confidence and damage their emotional and physiological wellbeing.
“In some cases, they can even lead to a child withdrawing from a sport altogether.
“Sport is an important part of life in Australia.
“If we can encourage respect, sportsmanship, and fun, we can ensure that sport continues to be a positive experience for everyone.”
Top tips for positive parent behaviour
1. Be a positive role model for your child: Be courteous and respectful to coaches, referees, players, and spectators.
2. Avoid shouting instructions: Unless you are an official coach, focus on words of encouragement. Don’t ‘coach the coach’.
3. Keep comments about your child and others positive: Whether you’re at the sporting field, on the car ride home, or at home, don’t bad-mouth other players, parents, coaches, or game officials.
4. Prioritise having fun: Remember, children want to play sport to have fun and socialise. Winning isn’t everything. Have fun yourself, and help your child enjoy sport by creating positive memories.
