In the realm of youth sports, parents play a crucial role not only as providers but also as socializers of their children’s sports experiences. The journey back home after practices and competitions provides a unique setting for parent-athlete communication, offering a glimpse into parental involvement in their child’s sports participation. This communication, studied through the lens of car rides, unveils the intricate dynamics shaping the culture of parenting and performance in youth sports.
Parent-child communication, a pivotal factor in adolescent development, extends into various settings, including family mealtimes, visits to doctors’ offices, and even digital platforms. Positive communication patterns characterized by warmth, consistent discipline, and agreement on problem-solving have been associated with numerous positive outcomes for adolescents, ranging from improved mental and physical health to decreased conflict behaviors.
In the sports context, the nature of parental feedback is crucial. Task-oriented feedback fosters a positive motivational climate for youth athletes, while behaviors reflecting parental warmth and positive affect correlate with perceived parental support. However, parental behaviors and communication are multifaceted, encompassing encouragement, performance-contingent feedback, instruction, negative comments, and derogatory remarks.
Studies reveal that parents at youth sports events are generally silent spectators but may provide instructions and comments, both positive and negative. These behaviors are influenced by factors such as the emotional intensity of the competition, the child’s ability, and the game circumstances. Parental behaviors are also shaped by instrumental, identity, and relational goals within the youth sports setting.
While past research has delved into parental behaviors in competitive settings, this study takes a closer look at the car ride home as a more private setting. Conversations during this time may offer insights into the socialization of norms and values in youth sports, focusing on the narratives of performance and parenting. A performance narrative in sports involves a dedication to optimal performance, often linked to an athlete’s mental well-being, identity, and self-worth.
The study seeks to explore how parents and athletes socialize, interpret, and develop understandings about youth sports experiences through conversations during the car ride home. By focusing on these “small stories,” researchers aim to uncover the social context of youth sports, with particular attention to how narratives of performance and parenting shape parent-child interactions. The car ride home emerges as a critical setting where parental influence extends beyond the immediate competitive context, shedding light on the intricacies of youth sports socialization.
Read the full article The Car Ride Home: An Interpretive Examination of Parent–Athlete Sport Conversations by Katherine A. Tamminen, Zoe A. Poucher, and Victoria Povilaitis