Youth Sport - The Ride Home

This week in class, we listened to a TED Talk about parent-child interaction in sport. Specifically, the phrase "I love watching you play" was noted as extremely powerful and impactful. Many kids are quitting sports at a young age, citing that they did not have fun. At the end of the day, sports should and need to be fun for our youth to continue participating. One of the biggest reasons kids do not have fun is because of parental pressure. In the TED Talk, "the ride home" is noted as a pivotal moment in the parent-child relationship. In my experience as a coach, I have heard from numerous kids that they dread the ride home because of what their parents will say to them. Instead of the ride home being an opportunity to decompress and reflect, it often becomes a moment of criticism and beratement. If we as adults want to ensure that the kids are having a fun and positive experience, we must be very careful as to how we interact after games. As the TED Talk says, simply saying "I love watching you play" is a powerful statement that can help kids enjoy their sport and continue to play.

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