Northamptonshire Sport joins NSPCC to stop 'pushy' parents

Northamptonshire Sport - alongside 100 clubs in the UK and Ireland - is urging their clubs between October 2 and October 8 to rally behind their efforts in a bid to underscore the supporting role that parents play.

The organisation is also urging coaches and officials to examine their communication with parents to benefit children’s involvement in sport.

Feedback from current sports stars and research with young people shows how important parents are as role models.

Dr Camilla Knight of Swansea University, who studies parental involvement in sport, said: “Parents play a critical role within youth sport.

"Without their support and involvement youth sport could not exist in the way it does today."

Through Parents in Sport Week, the NSPCC and Northamptonshire Sport are helping to change the conversation and remind everyone of the important and extremely valuable contribution parents make to our sport but only if they are engaged appropriately.

Northamptonshire Sport says ‘over-involved’ or ‘pushy’ parents can subsequently affect a children’s experience.

The NSPCC has produced resources for clubs to use with parents and their own coaches, available at www.thecpsu.org.uk/parents