How to Keep Your Child Confident in Sports Without Becoming Arrogant
Every sports fan has seen it, the confident jock. Sports is all about physical domination over another human and therefore driven by a self confidence of being better than others. The problem many parents face is how to build confidence without self destructive arrogance.
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How to Keep Your Child Confident in Sports Without Becoming Arrogant
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Confidence is crucial in any sport, thus the first step is to make sure a child is confident. This is achieved by avoiding continual criticism of the their performance. Applaud the positives and fix the negatives by being positive. If they are making a mistake, address it, but do not tear them down. This can be done by saying "That was a nice catch, now let me show you how to turn that catch that into a touchdown." A constant negative approach will only frustrate both player and coach.
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Once the confidence is built the danger of arrogance can creep in. Controlling this can be done in a number of ways. One way is to set an example, applaud the lesser skilled players for every positive play they make. By doing this the child will see that other kids can make plays and appreciate their efforts.
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Instill in the child, if they are playing a team sport, that team is the optimal word. Remind them on every play they may make that a teammate had a helping hand. It is fine to point out the positive aspect of their play, but emphasis that it was the team that help them make the play.
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If a player is demonstrating exceptional skills ensure they are playing with a high level of competition. Community leagues are wonderful, but if a child is clearly a gifted athlete get them in a traveling or club team. Otherwise they will never understand that world is filled with gifted athletes, creating a false sense of confidence.
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The best way to control confidence is through parental examples. As a parent, remain humble, accept the compliments, but remain level headed. It is fine to talk about and acknowledge a child's skill, but avoid doing such things as needless questioning of the coach or constantly pointing out a special play. Let the child's actions say it all and everyone will enjoy them.
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