Parenting in youth sport: A position paper on parenting expertise

• Published in: Psychology of sport and exercise Vol. 16; pp. 24 - 35
• Main Authors: Harwood, Chris G., Knight, Camilla J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-01-2015
• Subjects: Expertise; Sport parenting; Talent development; Youth sport; Talent development; Sport parenting; Youth sport; Expertise
• ISSN: 1469-0292
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2014.03.001

In line with the aims of this special issue, the purpose of this paper is to forward a position on the concept of sport parenting expertise through the presentation of six key postulates.
Literature review and position statement.
By adopting methods associated with an academic position paper, a statement is presented that we believe encapsulates sport parenting expertise. Six key postulates of parenting expertise, formulated from critically reviewing and interpreting relevant literature, are then presented.
We propose that sport parenting expertise is dependent on the degree to which parents demonstrate a range of competencies; namely that parents, (a) select appropriate sporting opportunities and provide necessary types of support, (b) understand and apply appropriate parenting styles, (c) manage the emotional demands of competitions, (d) foster healthy relationships with significant others, (e) manage organizational and developmental demands associated with sport participation, and, (f) adapt their involvement to different stages of their child's athletic career.
Expertise in sport parenting requires parents to develop knowledge and utilize a range of intrapersonal, interpersonal, and organizational skills in order to support their child, manage themselves, and operate effectively in the wider youth sport environment. Recommendations for applied researchers to further investigate these postulates and substantiate the components of sport parenting expertise are offered.
•We present six postulates of sport parenting expertise based on a critical review of the literature.•Parents with greater expertise provide developmentally appropriate opportunities and support to their children.•Managing emotions, multiple relationships and external demands are important components of parenting expertise.•Sport parenting expertise requires intrapersonal, interpersonal, and organizational skills.•Research and applied implications encourage scholars to investigate these postulates in a range of sports.