Tips For Parents To Help A Child Succeed In Volleyball
Has your child taken a shine to volleyball and shown some real potential on the court? Although it’s the primary job of the coach to teach and enhance the necessary skills needed for the sport, as a parent you also play a pivotal role.
✔️ Be supportive.
Help to motivate her for the match, encouraging her to perform to the best of her abilities. One of the main mistakes parent’s make is by distracting their children with unnecessary comments and questions, when their focus should be in winning the game and performing well on the court.
✔️ Encourage a healthy lifestyle.
You can encourage a healthy household by getting rid of processed junk food and trying to focus on a diet full of whole foods. This will help your daughter train harder, recover quicker, and perform better on the court.
✔️ Pick her up when she’s down.
As a parent, no one knows your child better than you do. There are times when she’s in love with the game and needs no motivation. There are also times when she’s not feeling good and may be having doubts about herself. Your job is to be aware of these moments and step in. A brief pep talk or something to help take her mind of things for a short while could be just what she needs.
✔️ Help her recover.
If she’s had a physically tough game or a series of hard practices, it’s important for her body to get the recovery it needs to make sure she’s fit and healthy to continue. Allow her to get sufficient sleep and rest. While getting homework done is obviously important, try not to burden her with unnecessary activities that use up a lot of energy. The same goes for match day mornings. Try and help her get everything ready so she doesn’t have to waste too much energy before each game. You want her to save her reserves for the match to give her the best chance of winning.
✔️ And please, don’t disturb or distract her with any unproductive comments about her shorts.
In volleyball, shorts are that short for a reason. Just like in any other sport, the attire for volleyball has been designed for its athletes to give it their best. Short shorts allow competitors to move, crouch, jump, dive, and carry out any movement with the fullest range of motion. She needs all her energy to go out there and perform on the court. So please, don’t make her feel self-conscious and avoid any “short” shorts comments.
When it comes to your child’s volleyball journey, there is a fine line between success and failure. Your role, as a parent, can be a fine balancing act. On the one hand, you may need to step in and give her a boost if she’s lacking motivation. On the other hand, if she is highly motivated, then your best move may be to step back and allow her to flourish.