Sport Parenting Style: Are you supporting or pressuring your athlete? Take our quiz ✍🏼

This takes three minutes. What you learn could change the way you parent through sports.

We’ve all been that parent at some point. (You know the one.) This quiz is your chance to pause and ask: Overall, am I supporting my kid—or stressing them out?

Your answers will help you figure out what kind of sports parent you are—and how to be the calm, confident presence your kid actually wants and needs on the sidelines.

😓 You Might Be Crossing the Line Into Pressure

Although your intentions are rooted in love and a desire to help your child succeed, your actions might be unintentionally falling short.

You may feel you’re doing what’s best—staying involved, offering feedback, tracking progress—but if the focus leans too heavily on outcomes instead of development, your child may begin to feel the weight of that pressure.

As they grow into their preteen and teenage years, they may start to push back—not just against you, but against the sport itself. When kids lose ownership over what they do, they often lose the joy. It stops being theirs and starts to feel like a job.

Here’s the hardest part: kids who feel pressure rarely say it out loud. They may not want to upset or disappoint you. They may not even have the words for what they’re feeling. But the signs are there—burnout, nagging injuries, a lack of motivation, strained connection, or the desire to quit entirely.

The Good News? You Can Reset.

With awareness and intention, you can shift your parenting approach—from pressure to support.

Spot the signs:

🔸 Subtle Pressure

Watching every practice
Filming every play
Coaching from the sidelines
Breaking down the game in the car ride home
Prioritizing sports over everything else

🔺 Overt Pressure

Criticizing performance
Offering rewards for results
Ignoring pain or pushing through injuries
Changing teams frequently or making life decisions around sports
Letting youth sports dominate your family’s identity

✅ Support

Smiling after wins and losses
Letting them lead their own journey
Talking less, listening more
Keeping your love and pride separate from performance
Allowing space for rest, change, and even quitting if that’s what they need

Want to take steps to improve your sport parenting behavior?

We can support you.

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You’re Walking the Line Between Support and Pressure

Sometimes you cheer them on. Sometimes you cross the line.
And you’re not alone.

Most sports parents live in this middle zone—supportive in many ways, but struggling to hold back when emotions run high or when dreams get wrapped in outcomes.

You may already know that pressure can hurt your child’s relationship with their sport. But in the moment, it can be hard to stop yourself—from saying too much, coaching too hard, or caring just a little too much.

The key isn’t guilt—it’s awareness.

Burnout. Anxiety. Withdrawing from you. Making excuses not to play. Overuse injuries. Avoiding the sport you once loved. When joy fades, kids either break down or check out.

The Good News? You Can Reset.