The Effect of Parental Involvement on Sports
In the plenty years my older brother Phillip played football and lacrosse, I don’t think ever in any of those years he really had fun with it. My father’s pressure on his focus on sports, took away the love and admiration that even drew my brother to the sport. As he grew out of sports and into the culinary arts department, my father was furious. Guessing that my father’s over ambitious ways got to my brother, I tend to forget that this happens to many children everywhere. In Rick Reilly’s factual article “Let Us Pray Play,” he not only emphasizes the ongoing battle between Sunday sports and religion, but also stresses the fact that parents put too much time into their child’s sport. Because of the destined future, bragging opportunities, and goals from parents, the fun of youth sports will disappear.
Once kids start showing any good skills in sports, the pro league is the first thought that comes to parents minds. From sports like football, to baseball, to wrestling , and to tennis, many of these sports can be professional sports. Many parents like the fact and live off the fact that their child has a great chance of getting into the big leagues. For example, my cousin Devale Ellis is a offensive wing of the Detroit Lions. Before the NFL, his father and even coaches pushed him, until he reached his greatest point. Football became his life. He breathed football, ate appropriate meals to stay fit for football, and his father made him study “Football for Dummies” and other football books to learn more about his favorite sport. Parents sometimes get out of control when it comes to their child’s future. They seem to forget the motive for team sports is to have fun.
Too many parents get their children into sports just to be able to brag to other people. With the increase on youth sporting events, many parents think its necessary to “up’ their child into the best one just to...