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Parental involvement in competitive youth sport
Further to my article on psychological momentum in team contexts (http://www.istadia.com/blog/mustafasarkar/316), I have written another article that looks at parents' behaviors in competitive sport settings. With coaches constantly interacting with children's parents in youth settings, this article should help coaches reflect on various important issues to help parents' become more aware of their involvement in sport. Please do let me know your thoughts on the content of the article and/or how the article is written. Your comments will be much appreciated.
Kind regards
Mustafa
“Keep going son” is a phrase that is shouted many times when parents want to support their children on the side of a football pitch. Nowadays, parents are highly involved and visible in youth football. With sports such as football providing a public arena for parents to provide immediate and specific feedback to their children, it is important for coaches to understand parents’ involvement in competitive youth sport settings. Parents can influence their children both positive and negatively in these contexts and the ways in which parents engage in youth sport settings may have important implications for their children’s experiences. However, while there have been many investigations that have examined parental influence on children’s enjoyment and motivation in sport, few researchers have looked at parents’ actual behaviors in competitive sport settings.
In order to tackle this problem, a group of sport psychologists from the University of Alberta in Canada recruited 16 people from four families to participate in a study. Each family had two children who cited football as their main/favorite sport. To examine parents’ involvement in competitive youth sport settings, the group of sport psychologists carried out one to one interviews with each parent and each child separately. They also completed 120 hours of observation at indoor football centers where the participants competitively played the indoor version of youth football during the winter months. This article will report the five findings from the study and will explain its relevance to coaches who constantly interact with children’s parents in competitive football settings.
1) Policy Issues
There were certain policy issues that appeared to influence the ways in which parents verbalized responses in competitive football settings. In particular, parents’ criticism of referees may have been constrained by specific rules to punish such comments. Referees had the power to award a penalty to a team if s/he deemed that the fans were behaving inappropriately. During fieldwork, the group of sport psychologists found an observation that supported this when a referee said to a mother who had just yelled at him:
“Be quiet or I will give you a card.”
To which she replied:
“You’ll give me a card? I’ll give you a card!”
She was then quiet for the rest of the game. These policy issues are important for coaches to consider when looking at parents’ verbal reactions to competitive youth football settings.
2) Parents’ verbal reactions in youth football
Parental comments were placed into categories on a continuum moving from ‘more supportive comments’ to ‘more controlling comments’. These comments were made in reaction to children’s performance behaviors. That is, the continuum of parental responses represented reactive rather than proactive statements. This article will explain the different types of reactions made by parents and will discuss the importance of coaches encouraging parents to engage in more supportive and less controlling behaviors.
a) Praise/encouragement
This concept refers to general supportive comments and encouragement rather than comments that include specific performance-related feedback. Consequently, these comments were considered to be more supportive than controlling. Encouragement was one of the most prevalent types of parental reaction, accounting for approximately 35% of the comments recorded by the sport psychologists during observations. An example of praise/encouragement is a statement made by Jeff, who said,
“I tend to applaud them and comment on them. But a log of things I end up applauding them.”
Liv confirmed her father’s comments,
“He says ‘good job, you run hard’ stuff like that’
b) Performance contingent feedback
This refers to parents making comments that were apparently intended to improve their child’s performance. These reactions were judged as being more controlling because they represented attempts to control the child’s behavior. Performance contingent feedback accounted for approximately 5% of the comments that were recorded during observations. This type of reaction was made mainly during games, with parents shouting comments that had some performance-related content such as “Good communication boys” or “Way to push him back” As a further example, Guy explained that:
“I always try to give him [Aaron] all the little tips and that, then I can try and help him improve his play or to give him that little edge of whatever.”
Guy’s son, Aaron, said that both his parents provided feedback:
“They [parents] say just how to improve it. They sit there and tell me after that I did it bad and then we try and fix it”
c) Instruction
Instruction refers to direct commands and included comments like “Kick it” “Get back” “Play the triangle” “Play your side” “Mark her” and “Shoot”. These comments were usually yelled as the child should have completed the play and accounted for about 30% of the recorded comments during observations. Instruction differed from performance contingent feedback because instruction was not based on the child’s performance. Rather, instruction involved direct commands apparently intended to provoke action. For example, an observation was made of one father who was extremely focused on his son’s playing. The father stood up every time his son was involved in the play and yelled comments such as:
“Look behind you, John! Look behind you!” or “shoot!” or “kick it!”
d) Striking a balance
This concept refers to striking a balance between providing positive and negative comments. These comments were controlling but varied in terms of the positive/negative tone and accounted for approximately 10% of all comments observed by the sport psychologists. For example, an observation was made of one mother watching her son who was a goalkeeper. She was extremely excitable; jumping up often, yelling encouragement and metaphorically kicking every ball in the game with her son. A goal was scored (which incidentally, the sport psychologists did not even think was due to a goalkeeping error), and the mum yelled angrily at her son “Glenn!” then there was a 5 second pause before she attempted to strike a balance by yelling “Good try” (shouted almost as loud but without the emotional tone of the previous comment).
e) Negative comments
This notion refers to general negative comments made by adults toward children and were considered to be more controlling in its nature. For example, sport psychologists observed a mother yelling to her son “what the hell was that?” after a poor free kick. Another example was a father who shouted at his son’s team in a very angry tone “You’re supposed to run, not walk! What are you guys doing out there?” These comments accounted for approximately 10% of the comments directed at players.
f) Derogatory comments
This idea refers to examples of derogatory and potentially damaging comments directed toward children and these comments were thought to be the most controlling of them all. A few examples of derogatory comments were observed by the sport psychologists. One lady yelled at the opposing crowd “too bad the goalie didn’t fumble that one” referring to a mistake the U12 player had made moments previously. Other comments such as “that’s pathetic” were yelled at children. Most times these comments were directed at the opposition rather than the parents own team. Derogatory comments accounted for about 5% of the comments recorded.
Implication of parents’ verbal reactions
Previous research (outside of the sport domain) consistently shows that supportive parental actions are associated with positive outcomes like achievement, whereas controlling parental actions are associated with negative outcomes like aggression, delinquency and substance abuse. Thus, the implication is that coaches should encourage parents to make more supportive and fewer controlling statements to their children in relation to sport performances.
3) Parents’ empathy with child
The study was also interested in the factors that may influence parents’ verbal reactions in youth soccer and the first finding reflected the concept of empathy. Empathy is the capacity to recognize or understand another’s state of mind or emotion. It is often characterized as the ability to ‘put oneself into another’s shoes’, or to in some way experience the outlook or emotions of another being within oneself. During the one to one interviews, there were indications that parents experienced the emotions that they thought their children were experiencing. For example, Debbie explained:
“When they are expecting to do well and they don’t, you feel the pain they feel…When they’re disappointed, you’re disappointed.
4) Emotional intensity
The sport psychologists also found that the emotional intensity associated with a particular competition influenced the nature and content of parents’ reactions during games. Emotional intensity not only stemmed from the segregation of parents from opposing teams but moreover, there was also tension among parents on the same team.
Verbal reactions also appeared to change in relation to game circumstances. There tended to be a greater volume of comments overall during more important games. For example, parents made more comments during the final game than during the first round game of the four tournaments that were observed. Additionally, more comments were made when games involved local teams with rivalries compared to games between out of town teams.
The following observation provided a good example of how parents’ reactions changed as the intensity rose. A woman started off using encouragement, and she did quite a lot of general cheering. But as the game progressed and the scores stayed close she made more controlling comments, especially at the end of the second half. She groaned in frustration when a player on her team failed to make a pass, then she yelled with exasperation “you should have passed it.” When she said this, a man in front of her turned and agreed with her. This example shows both how parents’ reactions appeared to change in relation to game circumstances and a way in which parents appeared to influence each other.
5) Parents perceived knowledge and experience
This category referred to parents having perceived knowledge and expertise in sport which they thought gave them insight and the ability to provide feedback. All of the parents who were interviewed thought that they were knowledgeable in the various sports, and furthermore expressed some displeasure in other parents’ lack of knowledge, and the types of comments this appeared to produce. In this way parents’ perceived knowledge and expertise influenced their interactions in youth sport contexts.
Conclusion
The purpose of this article was to examine parents’ actual involvement in competitive youth sport settings and to discuss the five findings of a study that a group of sport psychologists conducted with parents whose children’s main sport was football. The study showed that parents’ involvement was reflected by dynamic interactions between parents and other parents, game situations, children’s performances, parents’ empathy and their perceived knowledge and experience. Such complex combinations of personal and contextual issues lie at the heart of human functioning and development. By highlighting and outlining just a selection of these interactions, we hope to have revealed some of the complex issues that warrant attention in youth sport settings.
Summary of points for coaches to reflect on:-
2) Parents display a wide variety of verbal reactions with respect to their children’s sport performance. These comments can be categorized as praise/encouragement, performance contingent feedback, instruction, striking a balance, negative comments and derogatory comments. In considering parental support versus control, the implication is that parents should engage in more supportive and less controlling behaviors.
3) Parents experience empathy in that perceive sharing the emotions their children felt in sport, and these emotions appear to change in relation to dynamic game and contextual circumstances.
4) Parents perceive that they have knowledge and experience of sport and this appears to influence their involvement in youth sport as they think it enables them to make constructive comments to their children.
Psychological momentum in team contexts
Further to Rob Robson's article on psychological momentum and the turning points during Murray vs Gasquet's game (http://www.istadia.com/blog/robrobson/261), I had written an article about the concept of momentum about a month later for a sport psychologist working at the FA. The purpose of this article was to help coaches develop momentum within a team context such as football. The article should be put onto the FA website very soon but any comments/suggestions on how to improve the article would be greatly appreciated.Kind regards
Mustafa
Imagine a scenario whereby the home team is 2-0 down with 43 minutes on the clock. Just before half-time the away team score a magical goal to make it 2-1. In a scenario such as this, during the half-time interval, commentators would often say that the away team has got momentum going into the second half. But what exactly is momentum and how can it be developed and managed within the context of team sports such as football? This article will discuss ways in which coaches can nurture various factors in their players in relation to momentum to help them maintain consistent levels of individual performance and help them contribute to team output frequently.
Momentum has been defined as an added or gained psychological power that gives the person a feeling that he/she has an edge over the opponent. Despite the belief that momentum is a powerful determinant of success and failure in sport, momentum remains a largely unknown concept. It is considered to be a hidden force that is felt and sensed by competitors, positively and negatively, yet about which nothing systematic is done by coaches or players.
In order to tackle this problem, a group of sport psychologists from Loughborough University interviewed five university football players who had played in the National British University Sports Association competition. The purpose of the investigation was to gather information on individual player perceptions of momentum with the aim of providing practical insights for coaches working with teams and individual team members. When recalling their experiences of positive and negative momentum, the participants identified a range of momentum triggers and associated outcomes of perceiving positive and negative psychological momentum.
Confidence
A common trigger and outcome of perceived positive momentum was that of confidence. For instance, one player said:
While no single factor explains momentum, the important of confidence in developing and maintaining this phenomenon should not be underestimated. It is vital that confidence is fostered throughout a player’s football career from an early age. Related to this concept, the participants reported that knowing they had accomplished success before competition gave them the confidence to achieve again. One player gave an example of this by saying:
Therefore, the coach’s ability to draw out mastery experiences for players before competition would appear to be a relevant strategy to consider. Furthermore, with the help of a sport psychologist, coaches could also develop an imagery script that used recollection and re-creation of successful past performances to create a sense of confidence.
Opponent Factors
Another trigger found to have a significant impact on momentum was opponent factors with the actions of opponents seen as triggers of perceived momentum. For example, if a player saw an opponent’s negative body language it could trigger positive perceived momentum. This is shown quite nicely by a participant who said:
Similarly, opponents playing to their strengths or maintaining possession may trigger negative perceived momentum. Therefore, to reduce positive perceptions of momentum in opponents, coaches should increase awareness of the effect of negative body language and teach strategies to increase positive body language in the event that negative psychological momentum is perceived. This could be done with the aid of sport a psychologist who could help coaches employ intra- and inter-personal emotional awareness training for example, to help players control perceived psychological momentum. Specifically, players with these elements of emotional intelligence are those who control their own emotions and body language to give nothing away, whilst being sensitive to negative emotions in opponents to stimulate their perceptions of momentum.
Tactical Preparation
As well as confidence and opponent factors, participants also noted the importance of a positive attitude and talked about ensuring optimal preparation as a method for developing a positive frame of mind:
Close attention should be given to the role of preparation by coaches, to prepare players tactically, technically, physically and mentally to build confidence and a positive attitude. Furthermore, preparation will allow coaches to brainstorm various ways in which they could change a game tactically to ensure that players overcome negative momentum:
Going back to basics in terms of skills executed, keeping possession and altering player formations were tactical strategies that the participants found useful in not only overcoming negative momentum but also maintaining perceptions of positive momentum. These ideas could be discussed with players before a game and would ensure players are prepared in case they go a goal down for example.
As well as preparing players tactically, coaches could manipulate the perception of personal and situational sources (e.g. game events). This was reiterated by participants who talked about the importance of encouragement from teammates and coaches when they perceived negative momentum. This idea is reflected in the following quote:
“You look to other people in your team. I think you look to your big players, the more experienced players or the players who you regard can lift you.”
This point was supported by another participant who stressed the importance of using the team as a resource for developing positive momentum:
One participant summed up the importance of team cohesion nicely when he said:
With participants describing many elements of team cohesion in developing and maintaining positive momentum and overcoming negative momentum, team building activities with an emphasis on distinguishing the team by its level of cohesion and communication should be carefully considered by coaches. Participants noted the salience of collective, synchronous efforts and team encouragement through good and bad patches as well as the role of social cohesion and relationships with teammates ‘beyond the pitch’. One strategy that coaches could use is engaging the team in small group exercises where players individually discuss which triggers they personally feel enhance versus inhibit their perceptions of individual and team momentum on the pitch.
In conclusion, despite the fact that psychological momentum remains largely an unknown concept, this phenomenon is starting to be appreciated as being fundamental to athletic excellence. Having looked at how individuals perceive psychological momentum based on actual competitive football experiences, this article has introduced a range of applied implications to help guide coaches in knowing how and when to intervene to maximize positive psychological momentum and to minimize negative psychological momentum.
· Draw out mastery experiences for players before competition to develop their confidence.
· Develop an imagery script so that players consistently recollect and recreate successful past performances.
· Increase player awareness of the effect of negative body language and teach strategies to increase positive body language for example emotional awareness training.
· Pay close attention to the role of preparation to prepare players tactically, technically, physically and mentally.
· Consider using tactical strategies to help build momentum. These may include going back to basics in terms of skills executed, keeping possession and altering player formations.
· Engage players in team building activities and small group exercises.
