COACH’S ROLE IN ENCOURAGING PARENT–CHILD EDUCATIONAL INTERACTION IN SPORTS

Abstract

       The research into the educational effect of sport for youths aims at finding the ways for the coaches and parents to create a positive motivational environment for young athletes. Participation of family members in youth sports has a great effect on young athlete’s development and continuation of sports activities. In this background coaches have ample opportunities to influence parent–child relations and positive development of these relations. The coach can unite parents and children through sport, encourage their collaboration, act as a moderator, mediator, and counsellor. The article analyses the coaches’ influence on parent–child interaction in sports activities, as well as prerequisites for the effectiveness of such influence.

The aim of the article is to reveal the coach’s role in encouraging parent–child interaction in sport activities. Objectives of literature review: 1) Analyse the factors of coaches’ role in encouraging parent–child interaction in sport activities; 2) reveal the importance of the coach’s competence for the stimulation of parent–child interaction in sport activities. Applied research methods: scientific literature analysis and generalization.

        Scientific literature analysis revealed the importance of the coaches’ role in encouraging parent–child interaction in sport activities in order to create a positive motivational environment for young athletes. A more or less positive training and education strategy used by the coach, the coach’s ability to create parental interest in the child’s sport, to build and maintain positive relationships between sport participants, solve ethical and social problems arising in the sporting environment have a significant influence on parent–child interaction. The effectiveness of the coach’s influence on parent–child interaction in the sporting environment largely depends on the coach’s basic professional skills and intrapersonal competencies acquired in higher sport education institutions, through growing work experience and various professional development programmes. In terms of methodological skills and intellectual proficiencies, the importance of metacognitive competency involving a coach’s reflection and the need for self–study is highlighted along with the importance and benefit of long–term educational programmes.

       Key–words: sports activities, educational interactions, parents, children, coaches, competences, sports coaching degree and certificate programmes.