Sport has always been all the rage across the UK. Interest is constantly building in all the various games and opportunities that can be found in this ever-expanding arena.
Sport is being taken more seriously today too. Seismic investments are occurring to generate more enthusiasm and involvement in kids. These pursuits help many young people unearth talents, hone their abilities, and ultimately feel a sense of pride and confidence.
When your child hits their late teens, their interest in a sports career might make you nervous. However, it would help if you tried to understand their way of thinking and be as supportive as possible. Below you’ll find a few tips on how you can do this.
Establish a Middle Ground
It’s natural to want the best for your teen. All matters concerning their future should be discussed and debated, as blind support can do more harm than good. After all, careers take work to manage!
In their efforts to be understood, many people try to understand their parent’s point of view regarding their career choices. Still, one might argue this is more of a courtesy than a necessity on their side. While it’s valid to voice concerns if you believe your teen is making a choice that will harm them, a sporting career is an exciting opportunity and not something to outrightly discourage.
Return the favour of seeing your child’s point of view on these matters. Will a sporting career help them feel content and purposeful? Are they putting existing talents to good use? Is their passion clear to see? The answers to these questions should make accepting their decision much easier.
It’s worth remembering how flexible people can be with sporting careers too. Even if your teen doesn’t become the next sporting legend, they could always compete at local levels, start a business, or even teach the next generation of talent. All parties should keep an open mind regarding your teen’s professional potential.
Recommend Sports University Courses
Your teen needs to decide their path forward with their sporting career. That said, it can’t hurt to give them a nudge in the right direction – building their career on quality education.
There are many sports courses at university that are worth studying and focus on various disciplines in that world. From the psychology and performance of sport to business management, sports science, and numerous other aspects of athlete preparation. Students of these sports studies stand to gain a great deal of enrichment.
The perks of acquiring a university degree are that it can give your child a more versatile range of prospects. There are many transferable skills within these courses and many fields of work they can go into if plans change for any reason. Ultimately, having more options in life is always a good thing, and quality sports courses don’t compromise that idea.
Your child can expand their network on a sports university course too. They can be taught by industry experts, take up work experience and internship opportunities, or meet peers who can elevate their skillset. It all provides further enrichment toward their career aspirations.
Nurture Healthier Competitive Mindsets
Sport is a highly competitive arena across all its aspects. Not everything will go your teen’s way, just like in every career, but they must know how to be gracious in defeat. Setbacks may be more frequent, even if they’re at the top of their game in sport.
If you spotted your child’s potential earlier in their lives, you might have pushed them to achieve all they can. While it’s understandable, there’s a fine line between encouragement and applying pressure. Remember, if they’re a sports player, it only takes one bad day for them to lose a game or tournament. Everybody has bad days in their jobs, too.
Give your teen room to fail at the start of their sporting career and beyond. Make sure they realise the weight of what they’re taking on. While sporting dreams can be positive, aspirations must be grounded in reality. Only then can they measure their expectations and put in the hard work necessary of their own volition.
Discuss What Happens After
Everyone has a time when they’re in their prime. Few people understand this better than those in sports.
Though your teen may be preparing for a career in sports, it can’t hurt to think about what comes after. What would their retirement prospects look like? How would they go about winding down their careers as they age? Would they be lost without the sporting career they love so much? All of these questions are worth answering.
It can seem like the future is far off, but life is short, and time can pass incredibly quickly, especially in a sporting career. For example, footballers retire at around 35 years old. Consequently, having some vague ideas in mind for what comes after can be helpful. Plans can always change as people develop their skills and experiences, too, so being flexible is a good idea too.