{"id":1370,"date":"2011-09-08T14:20:13","date_gmt":"2011-09-08T14:20:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=1370"},"modified":"2025-08-07T02:27:22","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T06:27:22","slug":"parents-do-you-distract-your-young-athletes-too","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/parents-do-you-distract-your-young-athletes-too\/","title":{"rendered":"Parents, Do You Distract Your Young Athletes, Too?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/why-setting-goals-is-so-important-for-sports-kids.jpg\" alt=\"Youth Sports Psychology\" class=\"wp-image-3753\" title=\"parents_distract100\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/why-setting-goals-is-so-important-for-sports-kids.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/why-setting-goals-is-so-important-for-sports-kids-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_You_A_Distraction\"><\/span>Are You A Distraction? <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/parents-do-you-distract-your-young-athletes-too\/#Are_You_A_Distraction\" >Are You A Distraction?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/parents-do-you-distract-your-young-athletes-too\/#Ashley_has_lots_to_say_about_her_moms_behavior_She_often_leaves_her_mother_notes\" >Ashley has lots to say about her mom\u2019s behavior. She often leaves her mother notes.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/parents-do-you-distract-your-young-athletes-too\/#Sports_parents_can_avoid_distracting_their_kids_by\" >Sports parents can avoid distracting their kids by:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/parents-do-you-distract-your-young-athletes-too\/#Related_Articles_on_Youth_Sports\" >Related Articles on Youth Sports:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/parents-do-you-distract-your-young-athletes-too\/#Help_Your_Young_Athletes_Improve_Focus_In_Sports\" >Help Your Young Athletes Improve Focus In Sports!<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>Brenda knows she makes mistakes as a <strong>sports parent.<\/strong> Not only is she willing to talk about her <strong>mental game<\/strong> no-nos. She\u2019s eager to work on them and improve her sports parenting skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read on to learn about how she undermines her daughter\u2019s skating and what she can do to better support her young athlete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The mother of a 14-year-old, Brenda struggles with common challenges for <strong>sports parents:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>She feels nervous before and during competitions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>She has high expectations for her daughter.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>She is a <strong>perfectionist<\/strong> herself, which means she has a hard time accepting mistakes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Such behavior from a parent can be a huge distraction for sports kids. And when they\u2019re distracted, they can\u2019t <strong>focus<\/strong> on what they need to <strong>focus<\/strong> on in order to <strong>succeed<\/strong> and feel <strong>confident.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cBefore games I get nervous, which Ashley sees. And I\u2019ll start getting nervous the day before,\u201d<\/em> Brenda says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ashley_has_lots_to_say_about_her_moms_behavior_She_often_leaves_her_mother_notes\"><\/span>Ashley has lots to say about her mom\u2019s behavior. She often leaves her mother notes.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cAny time I make mistakes, she lets me know it\u2019s not right and why,\u201d<\/em> says Brenda. <em>\u201cLast night, she wrote a down, saying \u2018This is really bad for me. You\u2019re showing signs of nervousness before competition. It adds stress to me.\u2019 Even if I try not to show it, I give it away. I also get mad easily,\u201d<\/em> says Brenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brenda&#8217;s&nbsp;stress is a big distraction for&nbsp;Ashley especially around competition time. Instead of <strong>focusing<\/strong> on what she needs to do to compete well, she <strong>concentrates<\/strong> on her mother\u2019s nervousness. You might say that her head is not in the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Focusing<\/strong> on the right things is one of the most important ways for young athletes to feel <strong>confident,<\/strong> enjoy sports and perform well. That\u2019s why it\u2019s critical for Brenda to learn how to control her behavior and stop distracting Ashley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sports_parents_can_avoid_distracting_their_kids_by\"><\/span>Sports parents can avoid distracting their kids by:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cheering for all members of the team, not just their own kid.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Committing to never arguing with coaches and refs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Being <strong>positive<\/strong> before and after competitions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Understanding that sports is the kids\u2019 experience, not the parents\u2019.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Helping young athletes what thoughts, feelings, or images they need to <strong>focus<\/strong> on in order to perform their sport.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"related-articles-on-hockey-mental-game\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Articles_on_Youth_Sports\"><\/span>Related Articles on Youth Sports:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-yelling-from-the-sidelines-distracts-athletes\/\"><strong>How Yelling From The Sidelines Distracts Athletes<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-to-help-kids-get-back-on-track-when-distracted\/\"><strong>How to Help Kids Get Back on Track When Distracted<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-young-athletes-cope-with-pregame-distractions\/\"><strong>Helping Young Athletes Cope with Pregame Distractions<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-f49818fa-7c7a-4ee3-b5ee-66581aad2c71\">*Subscribe to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/sports-psychology-podcast-by-peaksports-com\/id152566009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0on iTunes<br>*Subscribe to <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0ynyaalKxbnNmsoeL8gF5X?si=8224669de9b3435b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a> on Spotify<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Help_Your_Young_Athletes_Improve_Focus_In_Sports\"><\/span>Help Your Young Athletes Improve Focus In Sports!<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/focused-sports-kid-small-7.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/focused-sports-kid-small-7.jpg\" alt=\"the Focused Sports Kid\" class=\"wp-image-11217\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Are your young athletes easily <strong>distracted<\/strong> by people shouting on the sidelines? Do they obsess over their <strong>mistakes<\/strong>? Do they <strong>worry<\/strong> about what people think of them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These issues will cause their concentration and performance to suffer!<a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-focused-sports-kid-cd-program\/\">The Focused Sports Kid<\/a> helps kids overcome distractions that can hurt their performance in sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-focused-sports-kid-cd-program\/\">The Focused Sports Kid<\/a> program is actually two programs: one for sports parents\/coaches that provides mental game tips especially designed for parents and coaches, and for young athletes, ages 8 to 12, that will walk them through 7 simple lessons in mental focus in sports.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-2050113d\">\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-030447a4 gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-focused-sports-kid-cd-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">GET DETAILS<\/a>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-af59ca3f gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/products\/the-focused-sports-kid-digital\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BUY NOW<\/a>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are You A Distraction? Brenda knows she makes mistakes as a sports parent. Not only is she willing to talk about her mental game no-nos. She\u2019s eager to work on them and improve her sports parenting skills. Read on to learn about how she undermines her daughter\u2019s skating and what &#8230; <a title=\"Parents, Do You Distract Your Young Athletes, Too?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/parents-do-you-distract-your-young-athletes-too\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Parents, Do You Distract Your Young Athletes, Too?\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3750,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,6],"tags":[473,474,472],"class_list":["post-1370","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pressure-from-parents","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-how-parents-can-help-athletes","tag-parents-distracting-sports-kids","tag-parents-supporting-athletes","resize-featured-image"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1370","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1370"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1370\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3750"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1370"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1370"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1370"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}