70 attend NYSI Parents Huddle on how to help their child manage sports and academics
Dr Harry Lim, NYSI Acting Head of Sport Psychology, speaks to youth sports parents at the Parents Huddle.
On 9th March 2019, the National Youth Sports Institute (NYSI) hosted a Parents Huddle. A total of 70 parents showed up to listen to Dr Harry Lim, NYSI Acting Head of Sport Psychology, speak about the ways to support a child and manage the demands placed on them by sports, academics, and social factors.
He raised the importance of providing appropriate opportunities for the child by ensuring their school has the right CCAs and support systems in place.
He also explained the need to align these opportunities with their different stages of development. This can be achieved by allowing children to play several sports before the age of 12-14 which allows them to develop broad-based psychomotor skills before specializing later on. He then touched on the factors to consider when hiring a coach or choosing the right sport.
Lastly, he elaborated on how to understand what your child wants to achieve and aligning that with your expectations as a parent.
“Understanding your child better, such as their needs, goals or motivations, can help you provide the necessary support to ensure they get the most positive sporting experience. This will ultimately lead to long-term enjoyment regardless of their seriousness as athletes,” said Dr Lim during his talk.
Rita Martens, parent of a youth squash player, said, “Dr Harry’s talk was a great reminder of how to be a sports parent. My child is struggling with time management so the tips Dr Harry gave were a great reminder of how to assist my child in tackling that.”
She added, “I believe his point about not placing unnecessary pressure on youth athletes is an important reminder for many sport parents and the importance of supporting my child emotionally and physically.”
Her sentiments were echoed by Mike Shee, parent of a youth fencer, who mentioned, “It is very true that youth athletes face a lot of stress and we as parents have to work with them through the various stages of their life.”
He added, “The slides that Dr Lim used are very educational, and I will reference them even beyond this talk. Going forward I will definitely attend more huddles, there are many more aspects of parenting athletes that I want to know about.”
The Parents Huddle is the first in a series of sessions. If you wish to be put on the NYSI mailing list, please email us at: enquire@nysi.org.sg.
Dr Lim spoke about the ways to support a child and manage the demands placed on them by sports, academics, and social factors.
Dr Lim speaks to a parent after his talk.