The Sport Parent's Playbook

The purpose of The Sport Parent’s Playbook is to provide some support for the good ideas that sport parents have and some reflections to minimize the bad ones. It is a playbook to refer to for establishing the “when in doubt do this” list for sports parents. The entries are short. They are meant to be easy and focused reads. The first section Foundations relates core ideas that are at the root of successful sports parenting. The second section Beyond the Basics dives into the challenging concepts of specialization and the role of fun in competitive play. The text concludes with Philosophical Musings. These articles put some thought to the societal dilemmas of parental pushing, abusive coaching, and rewarding the young athlete. It is the hope that these pages will serve as a guide to parents and a discussion starter for sports communities.