{"id":4895,"date":"2018-04-26T19:48:42","date_gmt":"2018-04-26T19:48:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=4895"},"modified":"2025-07-10T06:59:00","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T10:59:00","slug":"when-parents-force-kids-to-specialize-in-one-sport","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/when-parents-force-kids-to-specialize-in-one-sport\/","title":{"rendered":"When Parents Force Kids to Specialize in One Sport"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-4899\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/when-parents-force-kids-to-specialize-in-one-sport.jpg\" alt=\"When Kids Are Forced to Complete in One Sport\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/when-parents-force-kids-to-specialize-in-one-sport.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/when-parents-force-kids-to-specialize-in-one-sport-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Young_Athletes_Motivation_For_Playing_Sports\"><\/span>Young Athletes&#8217; Motivation For Playing Sports<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 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\/when-parents-force-kids-to-specialize-in-one-sport\/#Young_Athletes_Motivation_For_Playing_Sports\" >Young Athletes&#8217; Motivation For Playing Sports<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/when-parents-force-kids-to-specialize-in-one-sport\/#Its_common_for_parents_to_become_overly_invested_in_their_childrens_sports_careers\" >It\u2019s common for parents to become overly invested in their children\u2019s sports careers.<\/a><\/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\/when-parents-force-kids-to-specialize-in-one-sport\/#As_sports_parents_you_should_remember_that_if_your_child_is_not_enjoying_their_sport_they_will_not_receive_most_of_the_benefits_the_sport_could_give_them\" >As sports parents, you should remember that if your child is not enjoying their sport, they will not receive most of the benefits the sport could give them:<\/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\/when-parents-force-kids-to-specialize-in-one-sport\/#Sports_parents_should_focus_on_their_kids_true_motivation_for_playing_the_sport\" >Sports parents should focus on their kids\u2019 true motivation for playing the sport.<\/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\/when-parents-force-kids-to-specialize-in-one-sport\/#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-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/when-parents-force-kids-to-specialize-in-one-sport\/#The_Composed_Sports_Kid\" >The Composed Sports Kid<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A young athlete writes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>&#8220;My father made me start taekwondo when I was still very young. I am tired of the injuries and with the fact that they don&#8217;t care if I am hurt or not. I still like the sport but I am too <strong>stressed<\/strong> to do it and I am also bored of doing it.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>&#8220;I recently started downhill riding and I am really enjoying it and my father sees that and he immediately wanted to clarify that downhill would just be a hobby and taekwondo was the serious deal. Taekwondo also pushes me away from my social life and friends since I always have to be out of town to train and I am really envious of other teens my age who can go out every Saturday and have fun while I am either training or too tired to do anything.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>&#8220;It has come to the point where my father actually prioritizes taekwondo over school and it\u2019s really getting to me. I know that he won\u2019t let me quit and if he does he would never see me the same way. What should I do?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Its_common_for_parents_to_become_overly_invested_in_their_childrens_sports_careers\"><\/span>It\u2019s common for parents to become overly invested in their children\u2019s sports careers.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this case, the boy\u2019s father has been coaching him since he was a child, which puts <strong>pressures<\/strong> on young athletes that other children may not have to go through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Having a parent who is also a coach can increase the pressure on kids to succeed, which can negatively affect confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It sounds like the bigger problem is that this boy is no longer having fun participating in the sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This young athlete needs to be open and honest with his father by telling him that the <strong>pressure<\/strong> is making the sport more of a chore and job-like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s important that the athlete be clear that he prefer downhill riding. The athlete is likely <strong>nervous<\/strong> about talking to his dad out of his <strong>fear of disappointing<\/strong> him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"As_sports_parents_you_should_remember_that_if_your_child_is_not_enjoying_their_sport_they_will_not_receive_most_of_the_benefits_the_sport_could_give_them\"><\/span>As sports parents, you should remember that if your child is not enjoying their sport, they will not receive most of the benefits the sport could give them:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Increased <strong>confidence<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A <strong>positive<\/strong> work ethic<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The ability to work in a team setting<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>High <strong>self-esteem<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Our job as sports parents is to look into your children\u2019s true <strong>motivation<\/strong> for playing the sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some kids like the social aspect of sports the most, some like the competition. Others may appreciate the overall benefits of being physically active.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sports_parents_should_focus_on_their_kids_true_motivation_for_playing_the_sport\"><\/span>Sports parents should focus on their kids\u2019 true motivation for playing the sport.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this case, it seems like the child\u2019s only <strong>motivation<\/strong> at the present time is to please the parent. This is never an optimal situation, and will most likely cause the young athlete to quit or not want to train or complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a parent, you must either remove the pressure and allow him to re-discover his love for the sport, or allow him to participate in whatever sport he chooses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you want your kids to benefit from sports, they must be allowed to have choices and participate for the right reasons!<\/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\" 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\/should-young-athletes-specialize-in-one-sport-the-debate-goes-on\/\"><strong>Should Young Athletes Specialize in One Sport?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/one-sports-parents-story-about-perfectionism-and-the-mental-game\/\"><strong>One Sports Parent\u2019s Story About Perfectionism and The Mental Game<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/3-top-challenges-for-sports-kids-and-one-solution\/\"><strong>3 Top Challenges for Sports Kids \u2013 And one Solution<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" 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-css-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Composed_Sports_Kid\"><\/span>The Composed Sports Kid<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/composed-sports-kid-small-1.jpg\" alt=\"The Composed Sports Kid\" class=\"wp-image-11173\" style=\"width:170px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;The Composed Sports Kid&#8221; audio&nbsp;and workbook digital download program for young athletes and their parents or coach helps kids cope with frustration and anger in sports. Help your sports kids learn how to manage expectations and let go of mistakes so they can keep their head in the game.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>The Composed Sports Kid system<\/strong><\/em>&nbsp;is really two programs in one\u2013one program to train parents and coaches how to help their kids practice composure, and one program that teaches young athletes\u2013<em>ages 6 to 13<\/em>\u2013how to improve composure, let go of mistakes quickly, have more self-acceptance,&nbsp;<strong>and thus enjoy sports more<\/strong>!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-26bcd9b3\">\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-903b6244 gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-confident-sports-kid-cd-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">GET DETAILS<\/a>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-3275f4fd gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/collections\/confident-sports-kid-series-digital-version\/products\/the-confident-sports-kid-bundle-digital\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BUY NOW<\/a>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Young Athletes&#8217; Motivation For Playing Sports A young athlete writes: &#8220;My father made me start taekwondo when I was still very young. I am tired of the injuries and with the fact that they don&#8217;t care if I am hurt or not. I still like the sport but I am &#8230; <a title=\"When Parents Force Kids to Specialize in One Sport\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/when-parents-force-kids-to-specialize-in-one-sport\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about When Parents Force Kids to Specialize in One Sport\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4900,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,160,22,35,16,17,6],"tags":[459],"class_list":["post-4895","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-balance-in-life","category-kids-motivation-in-sports","category-over-involved-parents","category-pressure-from-parents","category-pushy-sports-parents","category-sports-parenting","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-motivation-in-youth-sports"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4895","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=4895"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4895\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4900"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4895"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4895"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4895"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}