10 Things Parents of Kids Who Play Sports Need to Know

Game Changers with Molly Fletcher

In this episode, I dive into a topic I’m deeply passionate about: the role of parents in youth sports. My perspective comes from three unique vantage points: as a former student-athlete, a parent of three daughters who played competitive sports, and a former sports agent. I share 10 essential pieces of advice that every sports parent should consider, remembering that sports serve as a crucial sandbox for life lessons like resilience, teamwork, and discipline. It's important for parents to step back and allow their children to forge their own paths while providing the support they need to grow both on and off the field. Here are the 10 insights every sports parent should keep in mind:

1. Celebrate effort over outcome.
2. The first question to ask when your kid gets in the car: What do you want to eat?
3. Being a good teammate is more important than being a good player.
4. Parents are part of a team too.
5. Be their parent, not their coach.
6. Coaches pay attention to what your child does when they don’t have the ball.
7. Encourage your kids to play multiple sports.
8. Let them fight their own battles.
9. Don’t live your washed-up dreams through your kids.
10. Sports are practice for real life.

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