Every parent wants their young athlete to succeed. Supporting your child’s athletic success involves more than attending practices and games; it’s about what you do before and after these events that makes the difference. Maintaining a balance between academics, socializing and sports is only the beginning. Here’s how you can set your future athlete up for success:
Teach Proper Goal-Setting
Setting goals is the first step to success in any activity. It provides children with a way to guide their actions. The key is to help your child set attainable goals they can realistically achieve. While teaching your child proper goal-setting, it’s important to stress timeliness and measurability. Make sure they’re setting a time period for when they would like to see themselves achieve such goals, and that they’re defining ways they can measure their progress.
Encourage Healthy Daily Habits
Achieving athletic goals relies on establishing healthy daily habits. Encourage your child to work toward their goals by doing something small each day. This can be anything from spending 30 minutes every day practicing sports drills at home to eating a balanced breakfast. These small wins boost your child’s self-esteem and sense of accomplishment, which gives them the confidence to achieve their larger goals.
Talk Them Through Positive Self-Reflection
Talking your child through positive self-reflection is another way to help them thrive. This can take place before or after practices and games. Ask questions like:
- How do you feel going into this game?
- What’s your focus for today?
- What do you think you did well?
- What do you think you can improve for next time?
- What did you enjoy most about today’s game?
These are all questions that encourage your child to consider their performance and engage in positive self-reflection. This helps them recognize their skills and areas they can improve. Avoid over criticizing their performance, and instead celebrate their effort. It’s not about wins or losses; it’s about personal growth. Positive feedback from parents raises children’s self-esteem and motivates them to keep going!
Find a Well-Rounded Sports Program
Enrolling your child in a sports program that’s a good fit for them is vital to their success. It’s important that your child’s sports program fosters athletic growth, healthy sportsmanship and fun. Supportive coaches and teammates are at the heart of athletic success.
At St. Charles Borromeo, we’re proud to offer an athletic program that provides a nurturing Christian environment with supportive coaches dedicated to our students’ success. St. Charles Borromeo, located in the Catholic Diocese of Orlando, is committed to proclaiming the gospel Message of Jesus Christ. We believe in teaching the whole child and want students to love learning, helping them grow into well-rounded, contributing members of society. Learn more about us by contacting us here.
