If you are a netball mum or dad, no doubt you are already aware of the benefits that playing sport can bring to young people. As well as improving your child’s physical fitness, netball can help them to make new friends and develop good teamwork. This can boost self-esteem and set them up with future life skills.
However, striking the right balance between encouragement and being too overbearing or too disengaged can be challenging. Here are some tips to help you support your child to play netball in a balanced and positive way.
Focus on the process rather than the result
If your child is part of a netball team, focus on the effort and dedication they put into training, rather than just the results of the match. This helps them to develop a well-rounded view of sport, rather than seeing it as just another source of pressure and the meeting of other peoples’ expectations.
If your child is just starting out with netball lessons, emphasise that you want them to have fun and praise them for small steps such as improving their catching or becoming friends with their teammates.
Take an interest
If your knowledge of netball is sketchy, brush up on the basics so that you can communicate better with your child about their experiences, and help them with any problems or concerns that they may have. This will help your child to feel more confident and well supported, reducing the likelihood that they will become discouraged or lose interest in the sport.
However, respect their decision if they express an interest in trying a different sport or activity, and avoid piling on too much pressure. Above all, the motivation needs to come from within, and genuinely enjoying the sport is key to this.
Choosing a netball coach
If your child is interested in taking part in netball classes, go along and watch a couple of training sessions before your child joins the club or signs up for lessons. Consider issues such as how well the coaches maintain fair play and the welfare of the players. Criticism should be constructive and successes should be celebrated.
If the club has a parent committee, consider joining so that you can get involved with volunteering, fundraising, transport, admin, or planning activities. Lead by example and treat everyone equally and respectfully, and speak up if you have any areas of concern.
Your child may appreciate your presence at matches or training sessions, but be mindful that they are still establishing their independent identity, and do not be tempted to continually ‘hover’ over them, or make critical comments about their performance or the other players or coaches. It’s their sport, not yours, so know when to back off.
Above all, netball should be a fun, safe and inclusive sport, and if all of these boxes are being ticked, you can congratulate yourself on a job well done.