We have dedicated numerous blog posts to the benefits of youth wrestling, how it imparts exceptional health benefits and teaches life skills such as hard work, persistence, discipline, responsibility, teamwork, and much more.
In this post, we would like to talk about how, as a parent, you can play a role in making your child a better wrestler. And ensure that they have a great learning experience free from any stress and undue pressure. As a parent, there are things you can do to make things easier for your aspiring wrestler child. Similarly, there are mistakes that parents should avoid. Let’s talk about some of them:
Parental mistakes to avoid in youth wrestling
Focussing entirely on winning
Wrestling is a competitive and very challenging sport. However, an overemphasis on winning undermines the valuable skills and lessons that the sport imparts. Youth wrestling experience instills sportsmanship, perseverance, confidence, and personal growth.
By focusing all your energies on just winning, you overlook the other things that your child is gaining from the experience. It is important for parents to concentrate on the learning process, growth, and behavior and not just on winning.
Even if the child does not win a particular game, they will surely learn lessons and skills that help them not just in their next matches but also in all other facets of their life. So, don’t make it all about winning, and create undue pressure on your child and make them lose their confidence. Instead, motivate them to become better learners and sportspersons.
Coaching the child from the stands
This is possibly the most common and the worst mistake parents make in youth wrestling. It is understandable that the parents are excited about the match and want their child to give their best.
However, yelling instructions at them from stands or sidelines will do more harm than good. At the very least, it will embarrass the child and more importantly, distract them from the match. Moreover, this annoys the coaches who have spent days training the child.
Remember, wrestling is a tough sport and it becomes even tougher when parents are shouting from the stands. The best thing you can do is to cheer for them and encourage them. Do not go beyond this.
Confronting the coach
Sometimes, when the child fails to perform well in a match, parents tend to blame the coach. The worst they can do is to confront the coach right after the match.
The most important thing to remember is that success in wrestling depends on a wide variety of factors, and the coach can control only a few of them. If you need to take up an issue with the coach, seek an appointment to meet him privately and discuss the matter.
Negative attitude
Oftentimes, we forget how our words can impact our children. Positive, encouraging, and appreciative words often do wonders for the child’s psyche. They listen and believe everything that parents say. A parent’s negative attitude can affect the child’s attitude negatively. So, when you are attending a sports event, be positive in your words and actions.
These small things can make youth wrestling a more enjoyable and rewarding experience for your child. Parents play a crucial role in nurturing the child’s body and mind. While the coach can train the child in wrestling, a parent can play an active role in boosting the morale and confidence of the child.
