CODE OF CONDUCT FOR PARENTS WITH CHILDREN IN SPORTS TRAINING

I. Behavior Toward Your Child

1. Always be a loving and positive supporter of your child’s progress.
   Let your child know that whether they win or lose, feel strong or nervous, you still love and appreciate their efforts and are never disappointed in them. Learn to hide any disappointment you may feel. The key to building and maintaining a strong parent-child relationship is unconditional love, regardless of results. When you create a supportive and encouraging environment for your child, you are doing everything right.

2. Do not compare your child to others.
   As Einstein once said, “The only absolute truth is that no two people are the same.” When you compare your child to others, you unintentionally diminish their self-worth and cause them to feel inferior. Remember: Your child is a unique individual. The beauty of children lies in their differences.

3. Do not place unnecessary pressure on your child.
   Parental pressure often stems from personal expectations. In life, you’ve also been afraid, clumsy, failed, and succeeded. Stay calm when your child makes mistakes and let them handle their own issues. Don’t withdraw when they need you most. Remember: your child is a thinking, feeling, and sensitive person who needs empathy and understanding — especially when things don’t go smoothly. Encourage your child carefully so they don’t lose their love for sports.

4. Don’t be overly eager for achievements at an early age.
   Early success in sports may result from three unrelated factors: early physical development, early training, or excessive training. Remember, the ultimate goal of peak performance is long-term, not short-term. At the beginning, focus on helping your child enjoy training happily and comfortably.

5. Evaluate situations calmly before reacting.
   If your child is upset about how the coach treated them or others, don’t rush to take sides or overreact. Talk to your child and the coach to understand the situation, then offer sincere, fair, and balanced advice.

6. Avoid “coaching” your child at every opportunity.
   Don’t instruct them during breakfast, in the car, before or after practice, or before competitions. Your child already has a coach — they don’t need two!

7. Teach your child the true meaning of competition.
   Winning or losing both provide valuable lessons. Even the best athletes make mistakes. Mistakes can be your child’s best teachers if they learn from them. What truly matters is enjoying the spirit of competition, testing themselves, giving their best, and improving both skill and character.

8. Don’t become obsessed with winning or losing.
   Avoid betting or creating rivalries between teams or individuals. Tough matches are beneficial because they highlight excellence and motivate athletes to train harder. Cheer for your child, their teammates, and even their opponents. Avoid bribing or pressuring your child before competitions.

9. Always recognize and celebrate effort after every event.
   No one can give more than 100%. If you see that your child tried their best, value that effort. A child who gives their all is always a winner, even if someone else wins the medal. Regardless of the result, keep encouraging them to try again and socialize with friends before and after games instead of isolating themselves.

II. Behavior Toward the Coach

1. Do not “instruct” your child on how to train or compete – leave that to the coach.
   You, your child, and the coach form a team with one goal: to help your child enjoy the sport and perform well. Each should play their proper role and trust one another. Don’t overstep the coach’s role.

2. Do not compete with the coach.
   To a child, their coach is often a hero who can do no wrong. So when your child says, “My coach said this…” understand that it’s normal. When the coach disciplines your child or demands more effort, your child may feel conflicted. Don’t “take sides” – let them work out their relationship themselves.

3. Never criticize the coach in front of your child.
   If you have concerns about training or team rules, discuss them privately with the coach. Criticizing them in front of your child undermines the coach’s authority and destroys the essential athlete-coach relationship.

4. Do not blame the coach for your child’s results.
   Allow your child to take responsibility for both success and failure. By blaming the coach, you teach your child to blame others instead of learning accountability. Responsibility and decision-making are two of the greatest assets a young athlete can develop – and it’s your role to help them build these traits.

5. Respect the coach’s decisions.
   Coaches often have to make tough, informed decisions at every level. Whether you agree or not, it’s important to support those decisions to maintain team unity and discipline.

6. Maintain a good relationship with the coach.
   Always inform the coach if your child needs to skip practice or competition due to illness or injury. Support the coaching staff whenever needed, keep in touch regularly to monitor progress, and share relevant issues at home or school that may affect training.

III. Behavior During Training and Competitions

1. At practice:

   • Show respect for facility managers and staff – without them, your child couldn’t train effectively.

   • Avoid gossiping with other parents. Such conversations often involve negative talk about absent people. Consider this quote by Ron White:

     “Great minds discuss ideas,
     Average minds discuss events,
     Small minds discuss people.
     Choose which kind you want to be.”

2. At competitions:

   • Respect the decisions of organizers and referees. Any disagreement should be discussed through the coach, not directly.

   • Avoid using offensive language, insults, or verbal abuse toward opponents, players, coaches, or referees.

IV. Right Thinking Leads to Right Behavior in Every Situation

1. Do not sacrifice your child’s well-being or values for results or material gain.
   Your child is not merely an athlete but a developing human being. True success comes not only from performance but from personal growth — in character, values, and behavior. Achievement is important, but character is essential. Remember: children’s sports are not just games — they are education.

2. Parents’ attitudes and examples leave lasting marks on their children.
   Even if a child isn’t consciously aware, they subconsciously absorb powerful messages from their parents. Be proactive and supportive — drive them to practice, attend parent meetings, and don’t treat these responsibilities as trivial.

3. Show kindness to all children.
   Acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of other children, even when they outperform your own. They’ve done nothing wrong — they simply played better. Remember: every child differs in ability but shares the same passion for sport.

4. Your child plays sports to achieve their own goals, not yours.
   Encourage them without pressuring them. If you fail to do so, they may lose interest and quit sports altogether.

5. Children’s sports belong to the children themselves.
   Adults are there to help, support, and witness the beauty of their games – not to interfere in them.