Children in Sport .sx Misia Gervis .sx As parents become more conscious of health-related fitness , there is more reason to get their children off the sofa and into the gym .sx This has resulted in a change in the image of sport and also in the expectations of parents .sx The question that needs to be addressed is how can we ensure that children experience a positive and pleasurable involvement in sport which will continue past their teens and into adult life ?sx The aims of this chapter are threefold .sx First , to explore sport from the child's perspective , to understand the potential sport has for the constructive development of young people , and to highlight the possible pitfalls that participation in sport can create .sx Second , to evaluate sport from the parental perspective .sx Why should parents encourage their children to be active in sport ?sx What is the role of the coach in encouraging parents to be supportive ?sx And third , we will be looking at the part a coach plays in the creation of a good atmosphere during training , and the relationship that the coach has with parents of young athletes .sx Clearly , the relationship between the young athlete , parents and coach is crucial .sx Consequently , we shall explore the integration of these roles .sx Sport from the Child's Point of View .sx Ideally a child taking part in organized sport will be able to develop skills and abilities which will be of use in adult life .sx Such skills are often referred to as 'character builders' but the way in which they are acquired is now being questioned .sx It is no longer acceptable to expect children's sport to mirror in every detail adult sport .sx Children are qualitatively different from adults , and thus their expectations and needs from sport will differ considerably .sx Also all children should have the right to participate in sport at a level that is commensurate with their age and ability .sx This is the first crucial element that should be considered when viewing sport from the child's perspective .sx The majority of sport that people are exposed to is through the media , where the athletes are generally professionals , and consequently their behaviour will reflect this .sx Too often adults involved in children's sports , whether they be coaches , parents or officials , expect children's behaviour to mirror that of adult sport .sx Clearly this is inappropriate as it does not allow the children personal growth , but rather forces them to be adults too soon .sx In professional sport there is the element of the entertainer - athletes have a job to do that often extends beyond the football pitch or track .sx It is all too easy for adults to expect children to behave in a similar way , but young athletes must be allowed to play as children for their pleasure , not for the entertainment of adults .sx The majority of the young people who take part in sport will not become champions , even if their parents and coaches want this to happen .sx Most children have a wide variety of motives for taking part in sport , most of which are not related to winning but sheer enjoyment .sx The way in which children feel about themselves is referred to as self-esteem .sx High self-esteem describes children who feel able to cope with the pressures around them .sx Low self-esteem is often associated with under-achievement and a poor self-image .sx This can develop if the coach is unaware that everyone in their training session needs to feel successful , and modifies sessions towards this end .sx Remember that children enjoy being able to master skills , and feel competent .sx They also enjoy doing new and exciting skills .sx Sport provides ample opportunity to do both .sx Children also become involved in sport for social reasons .sx Their friends might invite them to a sports club , and they may enjoy participating in team games .sx Consequently sport provides the forum for the development of leadership skills and relationships , involving team mates and coaches .sx All are valuable skills to learn as they are necessary for success in adult life .sx However , these qualities can only be nurtured within the right sporting context .sx It is therefore important that we understand how sport can be used constructively to aid children .sx Obviously the key person in ensuring that there is a positive , healthy atmosphere is the coach .sx The coach is often instrumental in determining continued participation by young athletes .sx Consequently , the coach needs to be aware of factors which can make physical activity enjoyable .sx Helping Children Take Part .sx As we have already pointed out , children must be treated differently to adults .sx There are a number of ways in which coaches can make it easier for children to participate .sx For example , modification of rules and equipment might ensure that there is a greater playing time , and reduced frustration .sx For example , by lowering the height of a basketball hoop , small children will be more likely to score a basket , or by reducing the playing area in a game of football , children will not get so tired , and therefore will be able to concentrate more on their skills .sx In both these situations , they will gain more satisfaction .sx Most governing bodies of sport have now become alerted to this fact and are developing mini versions of their sport , which are well worth investigating .sx Types of training and the length of a session can also be modified to children's needs .sx So , for example , with the very young , practice sessions need to be short but full of variety .sx As the children become older and more experienced , they can be longer and can focus on specific elements of performance .sx There are many simple practical things that coaches can do with a little creativity , which will increase the activity time for children .sx After all , children like to be active , and if they are not doing something , they can easily become bored and often drop out of sport altogether .sx By re-evaluating the sessions , coaches can develop very happy and skilled young athletes .sx Children and Competition .sx There has been a lot of concern recently that there is too much emphasis on competition in children's sports to the detriment of the participants .sx Critics maintain that we should completely eliminate competitive sports because of the stress placed on participants .sx They would rather see co-operative sports where there are no winners or losers .sx The underlying belief here is that competition leads to hostility and frustration , whereas co-operation encourages and develops trust and friendships .sx However , the situation is more complex than this and it is the way competition is used within the context of children's sport that is important .sx In its simplest form competition merely provides us with a means of assessing and comparing our own abilities against others , something which occurs constantly in everyday life .sx However , the emphasis is on how we compete .sx The problems often emerge when there is an overwhelming emphasis on the outcome or winning in sport .sx This is a limited view of competition which alienates many people .sx The real pleasure in competition is the striving for success .sx Without wanting to win people would probably not participate in competition .sx Should we therefore embrace the ideal that winning is not the only thing , but that striving to win is very important ?sx Another important factor is that the achievement of goals in training and practice are often more fulfilling than the competition itself .sx That is why you find young ice skaters on the ice at 5am , and runners putting in hundreds of miles in training .sx Clearly , success must be forthcoming through these gruelling training times .sx But we must remember that success is not the same as winning .sx This is the message that must come across clearly from sports educators and parents .sx Evidently , this goes against what children experience about winning from watching television and often from ill-informed coaches and parents .sx Another idea that needs to be rejected is the belief that you can only be a success at someone else's expense .sx The fact that there are very few winners but an awful lot of losers , does not mean that most children cannot be successes .sx Being a success means achieving more than you did last time , or attaining personal goals rather than simply focusing on the outcome .sx In simple , practical terms this can mean swimming a lap one second faster than last month ; sticking that vault in competition in the same way as in training ; or making sure that you talk to your teammates on the pitch .sx If a young athlete has achieved a personal goal , then they will feel successful , which is the primary objective .sx A gold medal is not the one and only objective .sx It is important that this distinction is recognized and fully appreciated by the adults who work with children in competitive sports .sx As we have already mentioned , children feel good about themselves when they have a positive self-image , and sport can provide this if the competitive element is handled well .sx Let us now examine some of the potential problems associated with children , and how many of them can be minimized .sx Competitive Stress .sx The following are the factors that make competition potentially stressful for young athletes .sx Environment These are factors that relate to the situation or environment of the competition , for example :sx 1 .sx The number of people watching the competition ; large crowds are perceived as being more threatening than small crowds .sx 2 .sx Playing at home compared with playing away .sx This problem can be magnified if the competition is taking place in a foreign country .sx 3 .sx Playing in freezing cold conditions , or alternatively , playing in very hot weather .sx These are all factors which might contribute to an athlete's fears and worries about the forthcoming competition .sx People These are factors that are related to the people who are involved with the athlete either before , during , or after the competition has taken place .sx Often the attitude of these people towards the athlete and the competition can have a big influence on stress .sx The people concerned are :sx the coach , teammates , friends , other competitors , and PARENTS .sx So , for example , a coach stressing the importance of victory at all costs might very well add to feelings of stress .sx Athletes These are the factors which relate to the athletes themselves .sx Such factors are internal and include the level of self-esteem , the level of importance they place on the competition , pre - disposition to anxiety ( in level of trait anxiety ) , and their own expectations of success .sx All these different factors contribute to the perception of competitive stress , and can be summarized in the following way :sx chart It is clear that every athlete will view each and every competition differently .sx Consequently what is potentially stressful for one child will not be a problem for another .sx Nevertheless , there are similarities felt by all participants .sx The question is how can competitive stress be reduced ?sx One of the key factors in reducing stress is to shift the emphasis away from the outcome of the competition towards the performance .sx Children need constant recognition of their own abilities , and they should not be left to compare themselves to other athletes .sx By giving the athlete feedback about the positive element of their performance , and eliminating negative thoughts , the athlete will feel more confident .sx Confident athletes feel in control of themselves , and therefore less stressed .sx Fear and self-doubt are often the fuels for competitive stress .sx Coaches can work on this approach to their sport in training and in competition .sx Another important factor that coaches can work on to reduce stress , involves ensuring that both they and their athletes have realistic expectations .sx If young athletes are not realistic about their own ability , it can lead to disappointment .sx Children often get false ideas of their potential from adults .sx Sometimes the parents have inflated expectations , and sometimes the coaches .sx Either way it can be a potential source of stress for the child if they can't live up to these expectations .sx And finally , the fun element must be constantly emphasized .sx Children must enjoy competing in sport to ensure their continued participation .sx Exercise 26 .sx Consider the following examples and try to predict how the parents' values might be reflected in the young athlete's attitude towards their sport :sx