A critical analysis of parental influence upon children s sports participation and performance
HND Sports Science
Sports Psychology ΙΙ
(Social Psychology)
Assessment 1
Staff : Mark Bowler
Student : Derek Elmhirst
Task:
Choose a topic in the broad area of ‘Introduction to Sports Psychology’ and write your own specific question. You must critically analyse your chosen subject area, showing knowledge and understanding, and application of the subject to practical situations. Specific references to existing work should be included.
Topic:
A critical analysis of parental influence upon children’s sports participation and performance.
A critical analysis of parental influence upon children’s sports participation and performance.
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Children’s behaviour is often unpredictable. Behaviour and attitudes of children in a sporting environment are no exception. Some children entering adolescence with great sporting ability and a good winning record seem to scowl their way through matches and get upset at slight setbacks. They may react to their regular victories with an expectant air, and to their irregular defeats with a petulant lack of grace. Other less fortunate adolescents who regularly suffer defeat, primarily due to a lack of natural ability, frequently do so with a smile on their faces, and a level of enthusiasm surpassing their victors.
Obviously winning is not the ‘be all and end all’ for these children. Indeed many surveys over recent years including Ryckman & Hamel, 1993; and Stern et al, 1990; both cited in Jambor (1999) have come to a similar conclusion. The most important reason children participate in sport is to have fun. Competition is cited as important by many children and hence sport gives an outlet for the development of a competitive nature that is inherent in most people, but when children start to play sport and games they do so primarily for fun. Youngsters won’t voluntarily do anything they don’t enjoy.
In the above
Sports Psychology ΙΙ
(Social Psychology)
Assessment 1
Staff : Mark Bowler
Student : Derek Elmhirst
Task:
Choose a topic in the broad area of ‘Introduction to Sports Psychology’ and write your own specific question. You must critically analyse your chosen subject area, showing knowledge and understanding, and application of the subject to practical situations. Specific references to existing work should be included.
Topic:
A critical analysis of parental influence upon children’s sports participation and performance.
A critical analysis of parental influence upon children’s sports participation and performance.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Children’s behaviour is often unpredictable. Behaviour and attitudes of children in a sporting environment are no exception. Some children entering adolescence with great sporting ability and a good winning record seem to scowl their way through matches and get upset at slight setbacks. They may react to their regular victories with an expectant air, and to their irregular defeats with a petulant lack of grace. Other less fortunate adolescents who regularly suffer defeat, primarily due to a lack of natural ability, frequently do so with a smile on their faces, and a level of enthusiasm surpassing their victors.
Obviously winning is not the ‘be all and end all’ for these children. Indeed many surveys over recent years including Ryckman & Hamel, 1993; and Stern et al, 1990; both cited in Jambor (1999) have come to a similar conclusion. The most important reason children participate in sport is to have fun. Competition is cited as important by many children and hence sport gives an outlet for the development of a competitive nature that is inherent in most people, but when children start to play sport and games they do so primarily for fun. Youngsters won’t voluntarily do anything they don’t enjoy.
In the above
References: Jambor, E. (1999) Parents as children’s socialising agents in youth soccer. Journal of Sport Behaviour. 22 (3), p350. Jones, D. (2003) Give a Dog a Bad Name. The Observer Sport Monthly. 35 January 2003 p14. McKay, P. (2003) How Parents Can Ruin Kids Sport. Richardson, D. (2000) The Influence of ‘Significant Others’ in the Development of Talented Young Football Players. Insight. 3 (4), 28 - 29. Woolger, C. & Power, T. (1993) Parent and Sport Socialisation: Views from the Achievement Literature. Journal of Sport Behaviour. 16 (3), p171. Hoyle, R. & Leff, S. (1997) The role of parental involvement in youth sport participation and performance. Adolescence. 32 (125), p233. Kamin Hirschhorn, D. & Olisky Loughead, T. (2000) Parental Impact on Youth Participation in Sport – The Physical Educator’s Role. The Journal of Physical education, Recreation & Dance. 71 (9), p26. Stephen, A. (2000) How Lacrosse became a Blood Sport (Parents and Competition). New Statesman. 129 (4504), p16.