Positive relationships are the key to successful sporting experiences. It can be argued that parents are the most important influence within an athlete’s sporting development (McCarthy, Jones, and Clark-Carter, 2008). Parental behaviours can have a direct impact on the child’s involvement and experience in sport; the effect can be …show more content…
They are all fundamental to the child’s enjoyment of physical activity. They help contribute to their bank of experiences and exposure to sporting opportunities; for example, by being a provider they can be involved in financial support, transport to events, and emotional support (Holt and Knight, 2014). They are interpreters because they are able to inculcate positive values to their children through their own principles regarding the importance of sport participation, development and success (Holt and Knight, 2014). The role model aspect can influence the attitudes and involvement in certain sports, for example, a sport in which the parent or parents have had an interest (Holt and Knight, 2014). This can impact in a positive or a negative way, depending on the parents’ relationship with their child regarding sporting development (Smoll, Cumming, and Smith,