It’s an exciting time, or at least it should be. Your son is playing a sport and you want to be his biggest supporter alongside his coach and his teammates. There are very effective ways to show him that you are his biggest fan. From the time that you drive him to his activity until you drive him home and even long after he is done playing his sport for the day, it’s important to motivate your son. Here are 7 ways to motivate your son in sports.

Support his decision

For starters, have a conversation with your son about what his interests are when it comes to sports. It can be easier to enter him in a sport that he shows interest in than trying to pick one for him from the outset. At this point, whatever he chooses should get your support. This ensures that the both of you will have a more positive experience.

Be encouraging

No matter what sport or activity that your son is involved in, it is imperative to encourage him and remind him that he will do well at his practice, game or tournament etc. Reassuring him this, demonstrates that you are on his side. Because unbenounced to you, he may feel a bit anxious or nervous and by encouraging him it inspires confidence.

Praise his efforts and not just results

It can be so easy to focus only on the results of the practice, game, tournament etc. But it is even more important to praise your son for his efforts. When you watch him play, take mental note of his performance and mention specifics to him after he is done. This demonstrates that you are engaged in his activity and that you genuinely care about how he conducted himself. Striking a healthy balance here is important because if you just focus on the outcome, it will send a mixed message that you may not have been paying attention to him.

Show him other aspects of the sport

Training and practices can get quite intense and can lead to being singularly focused solely on just his activity. Do your best to show him how others play his sport. For example, if there happens to be a professional team in the sport he is in, take him to a game. This deepens his understanding of the sport and can provide him with inspiration.

Play the sport with your son

There is nothing like the feeling of enjoying the sport that your son is in than enjoying it with him on your own time. If you are familiar with the sport then you can make a point of playing the sport with him on weekends or evenings if time permits. This is a form of bonding and he will remember these moments for the rest of his life. You will also remember and cherish these moments.

Don’t yell at him

This may be self explanatory but you would be surprised at the amount of Dads that have a short fuse when it comes to their son’s sport. Yelling at your son is the worst thing that you can do for his confidence and for your relationship with him. As a kid, being involved in sports is supposed to be fun. You do not want him to resent you over a recreational sport because you yelled at him uncontrollably. This will not inspire motivation in your son. To keep him motivated, do your best to keep your emotions in check.

Have fun

One of the best things that you can do as a Dad is to reinforce the fact that your son should have fun. Yes, things can get competitive and that’s a good thing. But above all, if your son is not having fun or enjoying his sport then he will not be motivated to be involved anymore. The key here is to motivate your son in sports and by ensuring that he is having fun. Doing this increases the chances of him improving and progressing in the sport.

Takeaway 

The better job that you do at motivating your son in sports, the better the chances are that he will stick with it for the long haul. The more confidence he gains, the more he will stay motivated. And you will play an important part of his progression through sports. Incorporating any or all of these tips will help motivate your son in sports.

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