By Mallory Mattingly
Sports are a great extracurricular for elementary and middle school children, but the fun takes a turn when parents put pressure on their young athletes.
“We need to remember that they’re kids — and they’re still developing,” said Justin Ocwieja, a youth developmental director at the Nationals Genesee Soccer Program in Michigan.
“It’s good for parents to be involved in their child’s development, but sometimes parents can push their children too hard,” he told Parents.
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This happens when parents start to live vicariously through their children or want their children to play at a college level, without considering if that’s something the child even wants. According to Ocwieja, who’s been part of the coaching program for 10 years, the intensity from parents is only increasing.
When parent pressure takes over, children “miss out on all the other important moments and opportunities that come from playing a sport — forming friendships, working as a team, building personal self-esteem,” Haley Sztykiel, LMSW, SSW said.
According to the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), “More than half of children in the U.S. aged 6 to 17 play on a sports team.”
However, a study from the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health revealed that nearly 70% of children in youth sports leave the sport due to the pressure put on them by parents. The children no longer had fun, the research said.
For example, in New York and New Jersey, most children play soccer for social reasons.
With pressure from parents, kids often become stressed, which causes them to lack in other areas of life, such as school. The pressure also causes the children’s sense of self-worth to depreciate over time and can lead to burnout in their chosen sport.
“I’ve seen burnout more in the older age groups, like 12-13 years old, because they started specializing in one sport at a young age,” Ocwieja said.
Pressure to overperform can also result in injuries. In fact, nearly 3 million emergency room visits each year are the result of youth sports injuries, and 54% of young athletes admit they played while injured.
Parents can help their child be the best they can by simply being their mom or dad. Youth sports are about fun, being with friends and learning new things. It is the responsibility of the coach to push the children on the field or court; it’s up to the parents to encourage the children off of it.
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